Saudi Arabia continues to spearhead international community talks pushing for a peaceful solution to Yemen’s crisis with the Kingdom’s ambassador to the war-torn nation affirming that efforts and the initiative to achieve a comprehensive political solution are still in place.
“Without doubt,” Saudi Ambassador to Yemen Mohammed al-Jaber told Asharq Al-Awsat when asked about whether the Saudi initiative for Yemen was still standing.
The Kingdom’s diplomat also considered the Saudi initiative an “opportunity to achieve a comprehensive political solution in Yemen,” blaming continued bloodshed and deteriorating humanitarian conditions in the country on “Houthi objection to peace and intransigence.”
Al-Jaber attributed the situation in Yemen to “the Houthis’ lack of commitment to agreements and their refusal to negotiate in good faith.”
Early 2021, Washington announced fully supporting peace efforts in Yemen, where reconciliation is being attempted between the official state, which displays pragmatism and diplomacy, and the Houthis.
Houthis, who started a civil war in 2014, continue to favor military options over diplomacy as they advance a Tehran-steered agenda in the embattled nation.
For eight months, Houthis have been escalating their armed campaign against the oil-rich governorate of Marib, where over a million refugees have sought asylum from violence in the country. In contrast, pro-government forces comprising the army and allied tribespeople continue to defend civilians against Houthi aggressions bravely.
Meanwhile, Washington showered the media with advice, denunciations, caveats and calls for “political maturity.”
Researchers and academics do not believe that current US stances will affect change in Yemen.
Instead, these positions would only trigger more Houthi attacks against Marib, neighboring Saudi Arabia, and international navigation in strategic waters.
“At this stage, there is no quick solution for Yemen,” Crisis Group’s Senior Analyst for Yemen Peter Salisbury told Asharq Al-Awsat.
“There are no shortcuts,” he added.
“We need a reformulated international approach that adapts to the fragmentation we have seen over the course of the conflict. We need more face-to-face mediation and diplomacy,” explained the expert.
Many Yemenis view international and regional momentum with positivity and without rejection.
However, they feel that the momentum is an internal American controversy rather than a political “priority” for a real international relations crisis that Washington wants to resolve.
More so, Yemenis see that the international momentum “does not match the size of Houthi military escalation on the field.”
Yemeni politicians and activists have taken to social media about how Houthis continue to ignore all condemnation announcements issued by Washington regarding Marib.
In Marib, the Iran-backed militia is bombing homes, recruiting child soldiers, arresting civilians and carrying out extrajudicial public executions.
