Yemeni officials have taken note of western statements that appeared to have taken a stiffer tone with the Iran-backed Houthi militias.
Earlier this week, US envoy to Yemen Tim Lenderking accused the Houthis of obstructing truce efforts.
French Ambassador to Yemen Jean-Marie Safa had recently said parties no longer believe the Houthis’ “broken record” in which they claim to be the victims in the conflict.
In November, British Ambassador to Yemen Richard Oppenheim told Asharq Al-Awsat his country views as terrorist the Houthis’ latest attacks on vital infrastructure in the war-torn country.
The legitimate Yemeni government has long called on the international community to designate the Houthis as terrorist.
Asharq Al-Awsat spoke with Yemeni analysts and researchers to learn more about what Yemen wants from the western trio members at the United Nations Security Council.
Yemeni political researcher Al-Baraa Shiban told Asharq Al-Awsat that the US, France and Britain need to “seriously” deal with Yemen’s demand to reclaim its state from the Houthis.
They must do so by stopping the flow of funds and arms to the militias so that they can no longer fuel their war machine, he remarked.
They must also push for the continued implementation of Security Council resolution 2216 and prevent the Houthis from gaining any legitimacy, he added.
Maged Al-Madhaji, Co-founder and Executive Director of the Sanaa Center for Strategic Studies, said the Yemenis want “greater commitment towards peace” in their country.
“This does not mean exerting pressure on the internationally-recognized government alone, but on the Houthis as well,” he explained.
Should the means to exert this pressure prove to be unavailable, he suggested that Houthi allies be “clearly” addressed and that “responsible” talks be held with the militias.
“There is only one side that is obstructing the political process in Yemen and the international community lacks the means and it sometimes choose to overlook what means it does possess,” he lamented.
“This creates an imbalance in pressure and in turn leads to more Houthis escalation and more concessions by the legitimate government,” he went on to say.
Undersecretary of Yemen’s Youth and Sports Ministry Hamza al-Kamali demanded that a clear stance be taken in designating the Houthis as a radical extremist group that claims “divine right” and uses violence to reach power.
Such a designation will lead to economic and political sanctions and allow Yemen to restore some of its “vitality” and ease the Houthi oppression against the people, he said.
The designation must be coupled with “real support” to the Yemeni government that should not be limited to relief aid, but must include building its capacity to recover, he suggested.
This should help it revive the economy and allow it to greater serve the people, he stated.
The support must include military and security backing, he went on to say.
Kamali compared Yemen to Ukraine, saying the West must not overlook his country because the security of the Gulf region is vital to the world, not just the region.
On Tuesday, Lenderking told the US House Foreign Affairs Committee Subcommittee on the Middle East, North Africa, and Global Counterterrorism that the situation in Yemen was “fragile”.
“The situation remains fragile, however, particularly as we have witnessed Houthi backtracking on their commitments, introduction of maximalist demands, and – most concerningly – a series of recent attacks threatening international maritime shipping,” he noted.
“The last-minute Houthi demand that the Yemeni government divert its limited oil export revenues to pay the salaries of active Houthi combatants – even as the Houthis refused to commit to a ceasefire – prevented the UN from securing a new truce agreement between the parties in October,” he said.
“The Houthis also continue to detain our staff and have not responded to multiple diplomatic efforts to secure their release. These actions are an affront to the entire international community and are entirely unacceptable,” he stressed.
“We must preserve the positive momentum and gains made since April. This includes condemning recent Houthi attacks and increasing our calls for a Yemeni-led, inclusive political process,” added Lenderking.
He also hailed Saudi Arabia for helping secure the truce, revealing that “intensive negotiations between the parties on a broader truce agreement continue, supported by key regional partners like Saudi Arabia and Oman.”
“Saudi Arabia is taking more proactive steps than ever before to support efforts to end the war,” he stated.
