Qatar, GNA Accused of Obstructing Arab Ministerial Meeting

Arab League foreign ministers hold a meeting (File photo: Reuters)
Arab League foreign ministers hold a meeting (File photo: Reuters)
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Qatar, GNA Accused of Obstructing Arab Ministerial Meeting

Arab League foreign ministers hold a meeting (File photo: Reuters)
Arab League foreign ministers hold a meeting (File photo: Reuters)

The Arab League has postponed its ministerial meeting till Tuesday, which raised questions about the reasons behind this delay, especially amid current developments.

Sources in the Arab League General Secretariat and official diplomatic missions stated that the delay was due to attempts by Qatar and Libya’s Government of National Accord (GNA) to obstruct the meeting by creating issues over the agenda.

Earlier, Egypt called for an emergency meeting for Arab foreign ministers on developments in Libya and managed to mobilize the consensus needed of member states to hold the meeting.

The meeting was supposed to be held Monday via video conferencing, after Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi announced that “any direct intervention from the Egyptian state has now acquired international legitimacy.”

Sisi also warned that his country has the right to defend itself after receiving “direct threats” from “terrorist militias and mercenaries” supported by foreign countries.

Sources at the Arab League’s general secretariat indicated that GNA and Qatar sought to postpone the session, fearing the agenda of the meeting might include an item relating to the illegitimacy of GNA, or decisions that condemn the Turkish intervention and occupation of an Arab state.

The sources explained that the GNA-Qatari attempt was to avoid a possible claim to activate the Joint Arab Defence and Economic Co-operation Treaty, which will further legitimize the Egyptian intervention in Libya.

The General Secretariat has succeeded in reaching a consensus on the common goal among all Arab countries, which include: ceasefire, resumption of a political solution, dissolution of the militias, and the removal of all mercenaries from Libya, the sources told Asharq Al-Awsat.

An Arab diplomatic source also spoke of Oman’s efforts to reach an agreement among all member states, stressing that the meeting will be held on Tuesday.

According to a source at the Arab League, the ministerial meeting will also discuss the issue of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), where the Egyptian Foreign Minister, Sameh Shoukry, will give a statement on the latest developments.

Meanwhile, the Egyptian Foreign Minister had a phone call with the Omani Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs, Yousef bin Alawi, who is the chairperson of the urgent session of the Arab League ministerial meeting.

The Egyptian Foreign Ministry spokesman, Ahmed Hafez, said the two officials discussed a number of regional issues of common concern and recent developments in the region.

They also addressed the agenda of the Arab League Council for the forthcoming ministerial session under Oman’s presidency of the current session.



US Targets Houthis with Fresh Sanctions Action

Houthi members ride a pick-up truck while on patrol amid tensions with Israel, in Sanaa, Yemen, 18 July 2025. (EPA)
Houthi members ride a pick-up truck while on patrol amid tensions with Israel, in Sanaa, Yemen, 18 July 2025. (EPA)
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US Targets Houthis with Fresh Sanctions Action

Houthi members ride a pick-up truck while on patrol amid tensions with Israel, in Sanaa, Yemen, 18 July 2025. (EPA)
Houthi members ride a pick-up truck while on patrol amid tensions with Israel, in Sanaa, Yemen, 18 July 2025. (EPA)

The United States on Tuesday imposed sanctions on what it said was a Houthi-linked petroleum smuggling and sanctions evasion network across Yemen and the United Arab Emirates in fresh action targeting the Iran-backed militant group.

The US Treasury Department in a statement said the two individuals and five entities sanctioned on Tuesday were among the most significant importers of petroleum products and money launderers that benefit the Houthis.

"The Houthis collaborate with opportunistic businessmen to reap enormous profits from the importation of petroleum products and to enable the group’s access to the international financial system," said Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Michael Faulkender.

"These networks of shady businesses underpin the Houthis’ terrorist machine, and Treasury will use all tools at its disposal to disrupt these schemes."

Among those targeted on Tuesday was Muhammad Al-Sunaydar, who the Treasury said manages a network of petroleum companies between Yemen and the United Arab Emirates and was one of the most prominent petroleum importers in Yemen.

Three companies in his network were also designated, with the Treasury saying they coordinated the delivery of approximately $12 million dollars’ worth of Iranian petroleum products with a US-designated company to the Houthis.

Since Israel's war in Gaza against the Palestinian group Hamas began in October 2023, the Iran-aligned Houthis have been attacking vessels in the Red Sea in what they say are acts of solidarity with the Palestinians.

In January, Trump re-designated the Houthi movement as a foreign terrorist organization, aiming to impose harsher economic penalties in response to its attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea and against US warships defending the critical maritime area.

In May, the United States announced a surprise deal with the Houthis where it agreed to stop a bombing campaign against them in return for an end to shipping attacks, though the Houthis said the deal did not include sparing Israel.

The Israeli military attacked Houthi targets in Yemen's Hodeidah port on Monday in its latest assault on the militants, who have been striking ships bound for Israel and launching missiles against it.