Biden administration slams Houthis, Iran for prolonging Yemen crisis

Supporters of Yemen's Houthi militia and a protest in Sanaa. (AFP)
Short Url
Updated 10 August 2021
Follow

Biden administration slams Houthis, Iran for prolonging Yemen crisis

  • Militia ‘fueling the conflict and Tehran unprepared for constructive role,’ US envoy warns
  • New appointees Tim Lenderking and Sarah Charles lead call for renewed aid funding

CHICAGO: US Special Envoy to Yemen Tim Lenderking on Monday accused the Houthi militia of preventing a cease-fire in Yemen by manipulating the price of fuel and through their military offensive in the country’s gas-rich Marib region.

Lenderking, joined by Sarah Charles, USAID assistant administrator for the Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance, told reporters that the US was increasing its humanitarian aid to the war-torn country by $165 million dollars, calling the situation in Yemen “dire, and one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world.”

The two Biden-appointed officials welcomed the decision by the UN Security Council to name Swedish diplomat Hans Grundberg as new UN envoy to Yemen. But they acknowledged that despite continued humanitarian efforts, Iran’s subversive relationship in backing the Houthis was prolonging the six-year conflict.

“There is of course a relationship between Iran and the Houthis that is not helpful to the Yemen conflict. In terms of Iran … I haven’t seen anything on the ground that leads me to believe the Iranians are prepared for a constructive role,” Lenderking said.

“We of course would welcome that. We would love to see that. Those of us who work on Yemen and see the intense suffering. We do not want to see the Yemen process held up by the Iranians or by the negotiations that have been taking place on the JCPOA. The Yemeni situation is urgent.”

Lenderking added: “We call on Iran to play a constructive role. Stop fueling the war effort through the provision of equipment, know-how and training that is only perpetuating the conflict. At the same time, if the Houthis understand the world current, they would do well to lessen their relationship on Iran and turn to others who are willing to support their presence inside Yemen and ensure their voices are heard in the political process.”

Lenderking and Charles praised Saudi Arabia and urged the Kingdom to lift fuel restrictions that are intended to prevent the Houthis from manipulating prices and funding their violence against Yemen and the Saudi coalition.

“It is very important for the Saudis to be fully engaged and constructive and it is one reason why I am in Saudi Arabia very often talking to the leadership. They are major actors, major donors through King Salman’s humanitarian center. We appreciate the donations and the funding the Saudis have provided, at the same time we are going to see more as I have stressed,” Lenderking said.

“What I do sense from the Saudis is a genuine desire to end the conflict. That doesn’t mean there is complete alignment on everything and we need to continue to narrow those gaps where we can. There has been a lot of constructive engagement from Saudi Arabia. I see that their efforts are continuing.”

Lenderking said that he is in discussions with the Kingdom to lift fuel restrictions in Yemen’s ports.

“That is something the Saudis can help us with. That the Yemeni government can help us with. It’s very important that that happens so that we do not face problems with the fuel restrictions,” Lenderking said.

“The fuel is vital to everything that Sarah and I are talking about. It goes to power mills that produce food. It goes to hospitals. It goes to the transportation network that Yemenis rely on. The humanitarian workers who are bravely out there in Marib need the fuel to power their activities. There should be no restrictions whatsoever on movement of fuel into the ports. That is something that I have had as an envoy in conversation with Saudi Arabia.”

Both officials criticized the Houthis, and slammed the militia for “fueling the conflict.”

Lenderking said: “At the same time, the fuel, once it arrives into Yemen, must be distributed in a way so that no party, including the Houthis, takes advantage of it or stockpiles it, and as Sarah and I have mentioned, it drives up black market prices and that is a way that people profit from the war in a way that is unconscionable.”

Charles said that the Houthis were killing civilians in the Marib offensive, which has threatened to displace hundreds of thousands more civilians and aggravate the humanitarian crisis even further, but that funding from donors is preventing the crisis from turning into a full-scale famine.

“The situation in Yemen is dire, one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world,” Charles said. “Two-thirds of the country needs humanitarian assistance, that’s more than 20 million Yemenis who struggle every day to survive without basic necessities, including more than 2 million young children facing deadly non-nutrition this year alone.”

The US is the largest single donor of humanitarian aid to Yemen, contributing more than $3.6 billion since the country’s conflict began in 2015.

Lenderking said that the humanitarian fund “is dangerously low” and urged regional donors to contribute more. He said the humanitarian crisis in Yemen is closely linked to economic problems in Yemen and that together they are fueling the conflict.

“Yemen continues to face the threat of mass famine and humanitarian assistance is critical to preventing this. We also believe that taking immediate steps to mitigate the humanitarian effects and save lives can contribute to progress on the peace process,” Lenderking said.

“The US remains the largest single donor to humanitarian assistance for the Yemeni people, providing more than $3.6 billion since the crisis began to alleviate suffering. Obviously, the US can’t do this alone, so other donors, particularly regional donors, must step up their contributions.

“The UN humanitarian appeal remains dangerously underfunded. We look forward to addressing this at the UN General Assembly in September and hope to see additional funding commitments that cannot wait.”


Turkiye, Greece must work together to resolve host of issues, Turkish minister says

Updated 12 sec ago
Follow

Turkiye, Greece must work together to resolve host of issues, Turkish minister says

  • Issues between NATO allies Turkiye and Greece are not limited to disagreements over maritime boundaries and jurisdiction in the eastern Mediterranean
ANKARA: Issues between NATO allies Turkiye and Greece are not limited to disagreements over maritime boundaries and jurisdiction in the eastern Mediterranean, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Friday, adding the historic rivals must work together to resolve them.
Speaking at a press conference in Athens alongside his Greek counterpart, Fidan also repeated Ankara’s view that a federation model to resolve the dispute over the ethnically-split island of Cyprus was no longer viable, calling for a two-state solution.
He also said Turkiye wanted to deepen cooperation with Greece on irregular migration and counter-terrorism, while increasing cooperation on tourism and cultural affairs.

HRW urges immediate action on incendiary weapons amid Gaza, Lebanon wars

Updated 11 min 27 sec ago
Follow

HRW urges immediate action on incendiary weapons amid Gaza, Lebanon wars

  • Weaponry ‘among cruelest in modern warfare’: Human Rights Watch
  • ‘A complete ban on incendiary weapons would undoubtedly have the greatest humanitarian benefits’

LONDON:Countries must work to prohibit the use of incendiary weapons amid growing evidence of their harm on civilians in Gaza and Lebanon, Human Rights Watch has said.

The organization released a 28-page report examining the recent use of the weaponry, which can inflict “excruciating burns, respiratory damage and psychological trauma.”

The report draws on HRW interviews with survivors of incendiary weapons, medical professionals and members of civil society.

It comes ahead of a UN meeting in Geneva next week of states party to the Convention on Conventional Weapons.

HRW urged those countries to condemn the use of incendiary weapons and commit to redressing two loopholes in the treaty’s Protocol III that undermine the protection of civilians.

Since October 2023, Israel has widely deployed airburst and ground-launched white phosphorus munitions in populated areas of Gaza and Lebanon, photographic evidence has shown.

Bonnie Docherty, senior arms adviser at HRW, said: “Incendiary weapons are being used in several conflicts, endangering civilian lives and livelihoods.

“Governments need to take immediate action to protect civilians, civilian infrastructure and the environment from the horrific effects of these weapons.”

HRW described incendiary munitions as “among the cruelest weapons in modern warfare.” As well as harming people, the weapons also cause socioeconomic and environmental damage by burning homes and crops, it said.

Israel has used white phosphorus munitions, a type of incendiary weapon, in at least 17 Lebanese municipalities, including five cases of illegally deployed airburst weapons over southern Lebanon, between October 2023 and June this year.

CCW Protocol III, signed by 117 countries, contains loopholes permitting white phosphorus and features weaker regulations for ground-launched munitions than air-launched weaponry, HRW said.

Hundreds of Lebanese civilians have been displaced following Israeli white phosphorus attacks, with survivors suffering respiratory damage months after exposure.

Lebanese olive groves, a crucial source of income for many, have also come under attack, with white phosphorus able to start wildfires and cause long-term damage to soil quality.

Internationally, pressure has mounted in recent years to address the proliferation of incendiary weapons.

At the most recent CCW meeting last November, more than 100 countries condemned the humanitarian consequences of the weaponry.

HRW urged countries at next week’s Geneva meeting to “initiate informal consultations” that address the loopholes in Protocol III.

Docherty said: “Governments should seize the moment to reiterate their concerns about incendiary weapons and discuss ways to strengthen the law to better protect civilians.

“A complete ban on incendiary weapons would undoubtedly have the greatest humanitarian benefits.”


Israel must comply with ICJ measures to prevent genocide: UN human rights chief

Updated 4 min 16 sec ago
Follow

Israel must comply with ICJ measures to prevent genocide: UN human rights chief

  • Volker Turk’s office publishes report covering violations between November 2023, April 2024
  • UN Human Rights Office: Almost 70% of fatalities in Gaza are children, women

NEW YORK: The UN high commissioner for human rights on Friday called on Israel to “fully and immediately” comply with the provisional measures issued in January by the International Court of Justice demanding action to prevent a genocide from being perpetrated against the Palestinians.

Volker Turk also called on states to honor their obligations under international law and “assess arms sales or transfers and provision of military, logistical or financial support to a party to the conflict, with a view to ending such support if this risks serious violations of international law.”

His warning comes as a new report by his office, published on Friday, warned that “if committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, (Israel’s violations) may constitute genocide.”

In January, after considering an original case brought by South Africa accusing Israel of genocide, the ICJ issued a ruling that included provisional measures ordering Israel to take action to prevent and punish the commission of, or the incitement to commit, genocide; to halt the indiscriminate killing of Palestinians; and to immediately facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza.

Turk said Israel’s compliance with the ICJ ruling is now “even more critical and urgent” in light of the new report, which details “the horrific reality that has unfolded for the people of Israel and Gaza since 7 October 2023,” and concludes by demanding justice with respect to the grave violations of international law that have been committed.

The ICJ measures are also more pertinent than ever given the most recent events, Turk said, including Israel’s operations in northern Gaza and its adoption of legislation banning the main UN aid agency for Palestinian refugees from operating in Israel and occupied East Jerusalem.

“It is essential that there is due reckoning with respect to the allegations of serious violations of international law through credible and impartial judicial bodies and that, in the meantime, all relevant information and evidence are collected and preserved,” said Turk.

The new report covers violations that occurred from November 2023 to April 2024, including the killing of civilians and breaches of international law that it said could amount to war crimes.

“If committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack directed against a civilian population, further to a State or organizational policy, these violations may constitute crimes against humanity,” the report says.

Turk urged support for the work of accountability mechanisms, including the International Criminal Court, in relation to the conflict in Gaza, for the exercise of universal jurisdiction to investigate and try crimes under international law in national courts, and for compliance with extradition requests of suspects of such crimes to countries where they would receive a fair trial.

The report highlights repeated statements from Israeli officials calling for Gaza’s entire destruction and the exodus of its people.

It documents Israel’s efforts to “rationalize discrimination, hostility and violence towards, and even the elimination of, Palestinians.”

The report underscores how civilians have borne the brunt of the attacks, including through the initial “complete siege” of Gaza, as well as Israel’s continuing “unlawful failures” to allow the entry of humanitarian aid, the destruction of civilian infrastructure, and mass displacement of Palestinians.

“This conduct by Israeli Forces has caused unprecedented levels of killings, death, injury, starvation, illness and disease,” the reports says, adding that Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups have also committed serious violations of international law on a wide scale

“The rules of war, in force now for 160 years, were designed to limit and prevent human suffering in times of armed conflict,” Turk said.

“Their wanton disregard has led to the current extremes of human suffering which we continue to see today.

“It seems inconceivable that the parties to the conflict refuse to apply universally accepted and binding norms developed to preserve the very bare minimum of humanity.”  

The UN Human Rights Office says close to 70 percent of fatalities in Gaza are children and women, indicating “a systematic violation of the fundamental principles of international humanitarian law, including distinction and proportionality.”

The continuation of these attacks “demonstrates an apparent indifference to the death of civilians and the impact of the means and methods of warfare selected,” the report states. 

It also raises concerns over the forcible transfer of Palestinians, attacks on hospitals in “apparent systematic fashion” as well as journalists, and the reported use of white phosphorus munitions.

“Our monitoring indicates that this unprecedented level of killing, and injury of civilians is a direct consequence of the failure to comply with fundamental principles of international humanitarian law — namely the principles of distinction, proportionality and precautions in attack,” Turk said. 

“Tragically, these documented patterns of violations continue unabated, over one year after the start of the war.

“The trends and patterns of violations, and of applicable international law as clarified by the International Court of Justice, must inform the steps to be taken to end the current crisis,” he added.

“The violence must stop immediately, the hostages and those arbitrarily detained must be released, and we must focus on flooding Gaza with humanitarian aid.” 


Lebanon state media says Israel blows up houses in 3 border villages

Updated 08 November 2024
Follow

Lebanon state media says Israel blows up houses in 3 border villages

  • ‘Since this morning, the Israeli enemy’s army has been carrying out bombing operations inside the villages of Yaroun, Aitaroun and Maroun Al-Ras in the Bint Jbeil area’

BEIRUT: Lebanon state media said the Israeli army on Friday detonated explosives planted inside houses in three border villages that have been battered by the Israel-Hezbollah war.
“Since this morning, the Israeli enemy’s army has been carrying out bombing operations inside the villages of Yaroun, Aitaroun and Maroun Al-Ras in the Bint Jbeil area, with the aim of destroying residential homes there,” the official National News Agency said, the latest in a string of similar incidents that have impacted the flashpoint border area.


Suffering in Gaza ‘almost unparalleled’: Humanitarian chief

Updated 08 November 2024
Follow

Suffering in Gaza ‘almost unparalleled’: Humanitarian chief

  • Norwegian Refugee Council secretary-general: Palestinians pushed ‘beyond breaking point’
  • Jan Egeland: Gaza rendered ‘uninhabitable’ due Israel’s policies

LONDON: Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are experiencing “almost unparalleled” suffering, one of the world’s foremost humanitarian officials has warned following a visit to the enclave, The Guardian reported on Friday.

Jan Egeland, secretary-general of the Norwegian Refugee Council, traveled to Gaza this week, reporting that families, widows and children have been pushed “beyond breaking point” by Israel’s year-long war.

He witnessed “scene after scene of absolute despair” as Palestinian families had been torn apart by attacks, with survivors unable to bury their dead relatives.

Gaza has been rendered “uninhabitable” as a result of Israel’s policies, supported by Western-supplied weaponry, Egeland said.

“This is in no way a lawful response, a targeted operation of ‘self-defence’ to dismantle armed groups, or warfare consistent with humanitarian law,” he added.

“The families, widows and children I have spoken to are enduring suffering almost unparalleled to anywhere in recent history. There is no possible justification for continued war and destruction.”

Since last year, families across the enclave have been repeatedly forced to move from one area to another as a result of Israeli evacuation orders, which now cover 80 percent of Gaza.

The situation is even more dire in northern Gaza, where a month-long Israeli offensive and siege have cut off an estimated 100,000 people from humanitarian aid.

An Israeli brigadier general said this week that there is no intention of allowing the return of Palestinians to their homes in northern Gaza.

Such a policy of forcible transfer would amount to war crimes, humanitarian law experts have said.

As aid continues to be cut off from the Palestinian population, the UN has condemned “unlawful interference with humanitarian assistance and orders that are leading to forced displacement.”

Egeland warned of the “catastrophic impact of strangled aid flows” on the Palestinian population, with people left unable to access food or water for days at a time.

The former Norwegian foreign minister and diplomat said: “There has not been a single week since the start of this war when sufficient aid was delivered in Gaza.”

Despite the acute shortage of humanitarian aid, Israel’s parliament this week passed bills banning the UN Relief & Works Agency from operating in the Occupied Territories, designating it as a terrorist organization.

Egeland called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza to prevent the “deadly” situation from worsening, adding: “Those in power on all sides act with impunity, while millions across Gaza and the region pay a terrible price.

“Humanitarians can speak out on what we are seeing, but only those in power can end this nightmare.”