Another Middle East War Breaks Out: Saudis Begin Bombing Yemen
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Ocean
The Living Force
http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/oman/al-houthi-delegation-arrives-in-oman-to-discuss-yemen-crisis-1.1520864
Al Houthi delegation ‘arrives in Oman to discuss Yemen crisis’
Omani delegation flew to Sana’a on Saturday to bring Al Houthis to Muscat
Published: 17:16 May 24, 2015
Gulf News
By Fahad Al Mukrashi, Correspondent
Muscat: A delegation of the Al Houthi Ansar Allah group, led by head of the Al Houthi political council, Saleh Al Samad, arrived in Oman on Saturday evening, according to media reports.
The delegation will discuss ending the Yemen crisis, the pro-Al Houthi Al Masirah channel reported.
Spokesman Mohammad Abdul Salam said before leaving Sana’a that the delegation will discuss the crisis with Omani officials and get to know the Omani point of view on the conflict in Yemen.
Abdul Salam hopes that there will be a consensus to stop the air strikes by the Saudi-led coalition before UN-sponsored peace talks convene in Geneva on May 28 and lead to a Yemeni-Yemeni dialogue that aims to rebuild Yemen.
Yemen’s government spokesman Rajeh Badi, however, said on Saturday that President Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi will not attend the talks in Geneva.
Badi says Hadi will not attend due to the security situation and because Al Houthis have not satisfied a government precondition to pull out of towns and cities they occupy — including the capital, Sana’a.
The leader of Al Houthi rebels, Abdul Malek Al Houthi, has called the talks the “only solution” for the conflict.
An Omani delegation had arrived in Sana’a on Saturday to accompany the Al Houthi delegation to Muscat.
The Omani Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not issued a statement in this regard so far.
Yemen has been pounded by the air strikes since March 25 by a Saudi-led coalition in response to appeals by exiled president Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi after the Al Houthi militia took most of the country.
Meanwhile, Omani hospitals received another batch of 47 injured Yemeni nationals affected by the war last Monday. Thirty of them have been transferred to Al Khoula hospital.
The rest were transferred to the Armed Forces Hospital and Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, medical source told Gulf News.
So far, Oman has received more than 137 Yemenis for medical treatment in Muscat government hospitals.
Some of them were discharged from the hospitals, while others continue to undergo medical treatment.
Oman is the only gulf country that refused to participate in the Saudi-led Operation Storm of Resolve in Yemen, and has stressed that dialogue is the only way forward.
— with inputs from AP
Al Houthi delegation ‘arrives in Oman to discuss Yemen crisis’
Omani delegation flew to Sana’a on Saturday to bring Al Houthis to Muscat
Published: 17:16 May 24, 2015
Gulf News
By Fahad Al Mukrashi, Correspondent
Muscat: A delegation of the Al Houthi Ansar Allah group, led by head of the Al Houthi political council, Saleh Al Samad, arrived in Oman on Saturday evening, according to media reports.
The delegation will discuss ending the Yemen crisis, the pro-Al Houthi Al Masirah channel reported.
Spokesman Mohammad Abdul Salam said before leaving Sana’a that the delegation will discuss the crisis with Omani officials and get to know the Omani point of view on the conflict in Yemen.
Abdul Salam hopes that there will be a consensus to stop the air strikes by the Saudi-led coalition before UN-sponsored peace talks convene in Geneva on May 28 and lead to a Yemeni-Yemeni dialogue that aims to rebuild Yemen.
Yemen’s government spokesman Rajeh Badi, however, said on Saturday that President Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi will not attend the talks in Geneva.
Badi says Hadi will not attend due to the security situation and because Al Houthis have not satisfied a government precondition to pull out of towns and cities they occupy — including the capital, Sana’a.
The leader of Al Houthi rebels, Abdul Malek Al Houthi, has called the talks the “only solution” for the conflict.
An Omani delegation had arrived in Sana’a on Saturday to accompany the Al Houthi delegation to Muscat.
The Omani Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not issued a statement in this regard so far.
Yemen has been pounded by the air strikes since March 25 by a Saudi-led coalition in response to appeals by exiled president Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi after the Al Houthi militia took most of the country.
Meanwhile, Omani hospitals received another batch of 47 injured Yemeni nationals affected by the war last Monday. Thirty of them have been transferred to Al Khoula hospital.
The rest were transferred to the Armed Forces Hospital and Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, medical source told Gulf News.
So far, Oman has received more than 137 Yemenis for medical treatment in Muscat government hospitals.
Some of them were discharged from the hospitals, while others continue to undergo medical treatment.
Oman is the only gulf country that refused to participate in the Saudi-led Operation Storm of Resolve in Yemen, and has stressed that dialogue is the only way forward.
— with inputs from AP
Ocean
The Living Force
https://www.icrc.org/en/document/oman-icrc-establishes-presence-sultanate
Oman: ICRC establishes a presence in the Sultanate
10 June 2015
Kuwait (ICRC) – The president of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Peter Maurer, called today for a stronger response to the needs of civilians affected by the ongoing conflict in Yemen.
Mr Maurer, who is on an official visit to the Sultanate of Oman, met with the minister for foreign affairs, Yusuf Bin Alawi Bin Abdullah, to express the ICRC's gratitude to His Majesty the Sultan of Oman and to the government of Oman for their invaluable support in establishing an ICRC office in Muscat and a logistics base in Salalah; Mr Maurer also discussed regional developments, particularly events in Yemen, with the foreign minister, and possibilities for stepping up cooperation between the ICRC and the Sultanate of Oman.
"Armed conflict and other forms of violence are doing an extraordinary amount of harm to civilians, in Yemen and elsewhere," Mr Maurer said. "The ICRC endeavours to help – to the greatest extent possible – those who are most affected. We are extremely grateful to His Majesty and to the government of Oman for easing the delivery of ICRC aid to the people in Yemen who need it most."
Mr Maurer also met with the executive chairman of the Oman Charitable Organization, Ali Ibrahim Al-Raesi, to discuss matters related to coordination, with a view to boosting the ICRC's humanitarian response to the crisis unfolding in various parts of Yemen.
The ICRC's logistics base in Salalah will serve as a transit point for humanitarian assistance – the ICRC's and that provided by various National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies – for Yemen. This will, it is hoped, speed up the ICRC's response. The base in Salalah should be in operation by mid-June 2015.
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I just helped the ICRC to secure a house to set up their office and staff accommodation. The ICRC staff will arrive on 1st August.
Oman: ICRC establishes a presence in the Sultanate
10 June 2015
Kuwait (ICRC) – The president of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Peter Maurer, called today for a stronger response to the needs of civilians affected by the ongoing conflict in Yemen.
Mr Maurer, who is on an official visit to the Sultanate of Oman, met with the minister for foreign affairs, Yusuf Bin Alawi Bin Abdullah, to express the ICRC's gratitude to His Majesty the Sultan of Oman and to the government of Oman for their invaluable support in establishing an ICRC office in Muscat and a logistics base in Salalah; Mr Maurer also discussed regional developments, particularly events in Yemen, with the foreign minister, and possibilities for stepping up cooperation between the ICRC and the Sultanate of Oman.
"Armed conflict and other forms of violence are doing an extraordinary amount of harm to civilians, in Yemen and elsewhere," Mr Maurer said. "The ICRC endeavours to help – to the greatest extent possible – those who are most affected. We are extremely grateful to His Majesty and to the government of Oman for easing the delivery of ICRC aid to the people in Yemen who need it most."
Mr Maurer also met with the executive chairman of the Oman Charitable Organization, Ali Ibrahim Al-Raesi, to discuss matters related to coordination, with a view to boosting the ICRC's humanitarian response to the crisis unfolding in various parts of Yemen.
The ICRC's logistics base in Salalah will serve as a transit point for humanitarian assistance – the ICRC's and that provided by various National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies – for Yemen. This will, it is hoped, speed up the ICRC's response. The base in Salalah should be in operation by mid-June 2015.
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I just helped the ICRC to secure a house to set up their office and staff accommodation. The ICRC staff will arrive on 1st August.
This is not just about Yemen, but the conflicts and chaos spread throughout the Middle East. But it still fits:
http://thesaker.is/hassan-nasrallah-israel-is-the-ultimate-terrorist-iran-is-its-only-enemy/
http://thesaker.is/hassan-nasrallah-israel-is-the-ultimate-terrorist-iran-is-its-only-enemy/
Good questions asked by reporters below, which were of course not answered honestly by the State Department:
angelburst29
The Living Force
Oxajil said:
My same sediments, it's "about time!" The Saudi elite are the devil-incarnate with all the graces of 'Hell".
Very little differences between them and their Israeli-brothers-in-crime? In fact, Israel provides security for the Saudi's. As noted below, the 3rd in line for King-ship of the Harlem is young deputy crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman. Recently, he made a visit to the White House for O's help to be "nominated" as the next King - by the end of the year. Salman was bestowed with two conditions - “end the rule of Wahhabism” and open a “strong channel of communication” with Israel. Salman may "play ball" for a while, just to get what he wants (King of Saud) but I just see him as another "loose cannon" made of the same cloth as his ancestral line?
As far as the Human Right's Groups getting their demands met by the United Nations General Assembly,
Saudi Arabia will likely remain on the Human Rights Council, as it would require a two-third majority vote by the 193-member UN General Assembly to suspend Riyadh from the post.
Groups Urge UN to Oust Saudi ‘Child Killers’ From Human Rights Council
http://sputniknews.com/middleeast/20160630/1042196036/saudi-united-nations-human-rights.html
On Wednesday, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch released joint statements calling on the United Nations General Assembly to suspend Saudi Arabia from the UN Human Rights Council until Riyadh ends its military campaign in Yemen. Reports indicate that the operation has led to indiscriminate violence against children and civilians, with several school houses and hospitals coming under fire from Saudi-backed forces.
"Saudi Arabia has amassed an appalling record of violations in Yemen while a Human Rights Council member," said Philippe Bolopion, the deputy director for global advocacy at Human Rights Watch. "UN member countries should stand with Yemeni civilians and suspend Saudi Arabia immediately."
The lobbying effort to oust Saudi Arabia from its role on the Human Rights Council comes in the wake of a recent controversy surrounding war crimes committed by Saudi-led forces, as was initially documented by UN researchers.
On June 2, the United Nations added Saudi Arabia to the "child killers backlist" as part of its annual Children and Armed Conflict (CAAC) report. Only four days later, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon announced that Riyadh would be removed from the list pending further investigation of the report’s claims.
In an attempt to blunt the controversy surrounding the decision, Ban Ki-moon declared that the redaction was temporary measure meant to ensure the report’s accuracy. The Saudi government, however, contradicted this statement by insisting the removal was permanent.
Several days later, the UN chief went public about the circumstances surrounding his decision, hinting that Riyadh had used extortion to secure the result.
"The report describes horrors no child should have to face, but at the same time, I also had to consider the very real prospect that millions of other children would suffer grievously if, as was suggested to me, countries would defund UN programs," Ban Ki-moon said. "Children already at risk is Palestine, South Sudan, Syria, Yemen and so many other places would fall further into despair."
Specifically, the report established in intricate detail that 60% of the 785 child deaths and 1,168 child injuries documented throughout the conflict were directly attributable to Riyadh’s bombing attacks. Furthermore, these raids appeared to intentionally target civilian populations.
It was later reported that the UN Secretary General was, in fact, blackmailed by none other than Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir, who informed the United Nations that if the truth about Riyadh’s crimes against the children of Yemen was revealed, Riyadh would move to eliminate nearly $500 million in funding for UN programs, with a promise to coordinate defunding efforts with Arab allies.
In addition to direct casualties, the bombing campaign has created a health crisis. Nearly 10,000 youth deaths, all under five years of age, in the past year were caused by preventable illnesses, according to the United Nations report. This is partially blamed on the destruction of critical components of Yemen’s infrastructure and the limited ability of aid workers to get to those in need.
Save the Children also reported in March that over 90% of Yemeni children required emergency humanitarian aid as a result of the Saudi-led devastation in Yemen.
Despite the wanton disregard for the lives of children and civilians, Saudi Arabia will likely remain on the Human Rights Council, as it would require a two-third majority vote by the 193-member UN General Assembly to suspend Riyadh from the post.
America Provides Arms to Bahrain for Crackdowns on Pro-Democracy Protesters
http://sputniknews.com/news/20160630/1042198951/washington-bahrain-manama-riyadh-democracy.html
On Wednesday, a bipartisan group of US Senators called on the State Department to reconsider military aid to Bahrain, citing the deteriorating state of human rights in the country following an escalation in crackdowns against pro-democracy demonstrations that have been ongoing for five years.
The letter, from Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) comes in the wake of a June 21 State Department report to Congress that blasted the Bahraini monarchy for its wanton aggression against peaceful civilians.
"The lack of due process and the criminalization of the exercise of free expression continue to undermine the progress Bahrain has made since 2011," said State Department spokesman John Kirby after fielding questions about the United States’ stance towards the Bahraini government.
The monarchy has moved in recent months to outlaw the leading Shiite opposition party, al-Wefaq, by freezing its assets, imprisoning and torturing its members, and doubling the prison term for the party’s secretary general, Ali Slaman. He will now serve nine years in prison for "promoting forceful change of the political regime."
Additionally, in recent months the Sunni-led monarchy has moved to revoke citizenship of opposition members, including the country’s most prominent Shiite religious leader, Sheikh Isa Qassim, rendering individuals stateless and without proper human rights protections.
While the US State Department has rhetorically savaged Bahrain’s regime for its acts against peaceful civilian, the Obama administration continues to funnel heavy weapons into the Middle Eastern country. Many of these are used against the country’s citizens.
The situation has deteriorated in Bahrain to the point that the monarchy has openly welcomed the Saudi government to intervene against the civilian protesters. It has also asked Takfiri Islamists, including members of Daesh, to kill demonstrators these radical Muslims view as apostates.
The United States renewed the sale of heavy weaponry to Bahrain in early 2012 at the start of the pro-democratic uprising in Bahrain. Then-State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said Bahrain is "an important security partner and ally in a region facing serious challenges."
Bahrain has received nearly $1 billion in US aircraft, ships, bombs and heavy weapons since 2012, that have been used to put down peaceful domestic dissent. The State Department continues to embrace a policy of looking the other way.
Notably, the United States maintains its critical Fifth Naval Fleet in Bahrain, a force vital to maintaining America’s regional presence and for staging Special Forces operations against terrorist organizations.
On Wednesday, Loud & Clear’s Brian Becker sat down with Massoud Shadjareh, founder of the Islamic Human Rights Commission, to discuss the troubling developments in Bahrain and whether there is any hope that the US may finally live up to its mantra of promoting democracy.
"Even before the Arab Spring, we saw the majority of Bahrainis asking for more empowerment and democracy to be brought to Bahrain," Shadjareh said. "Bahrain is a dictatorial monarchy ruled by a royal family with absolute power. Really when you look at the whole situation in Bahrain – first it is a very small island and 97% of its coastal land belongs to the royal family such that they claim that the fish in the sea belong to them. So what we are talking about is an oppressive regime."
"At the time of the Arab Spring, the Bahrainis took to the streets like the rest of the people in the Middle East calling for more democracy, but they didn’t want to overthrow the government and the royal family," explained the activist.
"They were asking for democracy combined with the monarchy, where the monarchy would be the figurehead and the democracy would run the affairs of the society," he said.
Shadjareh explained that the monarchy did not take to this proposition lightly, immediately resorting to police and military force.
"The demonstrators continued their peaceful protests. And now we have over five years of demonstrations by the majority of the country and everything has been used against them," Shadjareh said. "They have been tear-gassed, killed, and tortured systematically, which has been documented by a number of human rights organizations and now the [US] State Department."
The situation in Bahrain is rapidly deteriorating as the regime escalates crackdowns.
"What is really worrying is that in the last month or so we have seen a huge escalation by the regime against the pro-democracy movement," the activist added. "Human rights activists have been arrested, the opposition party has been announced illegal, and now we have the removal of citizenship being used as a tool against the people of Bahraini society."
"This shows that the Bahraini government has no intention whatsoever to find a settlement between itself and the majority," he said. "They are actually pushing that whole society towards further conflict. We are all worried that after five years an escalation of the scale that we are seeing means that the only result would force the democracy to take arms, there is really nothing left for them."
"What we see with the Royal family is that they have actually imported the Takfiris, who identify the majority of Muslims as non-Muslims, to justify killing them and torturing them," Shadjareh said.
They bring in people like that from different parts of the world and give them citizenship to help oppress the citizens of their own country and to change the dynamics of democracy across the region. This has been documented by the United Nations," he said.
Are the US and Britain aiding in the oppression and slaughter of Bahraini civilians?
"The reason why the United States and Britain are not really dealing with the support of the pro-democracy and standing up against this systematic oppression and torture by the government is because the United States has its fleet in Bahrain and Britain has just negotiated to have a military base in Bahrain," said the activist.
"We hear a lot that the United States is a champion of democracy around the world and that the United States is going into war against governments that are dictatorships against democracy, but the reality is that the Bahraini monarchy is a most repressive regime against the people who are refusing to take arms against it and are peaceful demonstrators," said Shadjareh.
"Children are being tear-gassed and bombs that have been given by the United States and Britain are being used against the people, and now Saudi Arabia is invading Bahrain in order to oppress the people.
Here you are inviting another government to go against the pro-democracy civilians who are standing in the streets and are asking for nothing other than a right in choosing the future, and the United States and the West are helping and supporting them with arms and giving them respectability," he said.
"This is why people in the Middle East are actually looking at the United States in a completely different light than Westerners look at the United States, because they see it as part of the groups that support the oppression of ordinary people."
UAE-Backed Plan to Install Saudi Prince as King
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950410000531
Two "well-placed Saudi sources" have said that de facto UAE ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan is advising Mohammed on a two-pronged strategy to become Washington's preferred choice as the next Saudi ruler, Middle East Eye reported.
The first Saudi source said bin Zayed has told bin Salman that he must “end the rule of Wahhabism” if he wants to be accepted by the Americans.
Wahhabism is the radical ideology dominating Saudi Arabia which has inspired Takfiri groups such as ISIL and al-Qaeda-linked Nusra Front to wreak havoc in the Middle East.
Bin Zayed has also told bin Salman that he must open a “strong channel of communication” with Israel if he is to be Washington’s preferred candidate to be king, the report added.
The second Saudi source reportedly said bin Salman is willing to win the backing of Washington after telling close associates recently that he would complete the mission of becoming king before the end of the year.
The 30-year-old bin Salman, who also serves as the Saudi defense minister, has been granted increasing power since he was named the third in line to the throne last April.
He is heading up the country’s economic reforms plan, the kingdom's policy towards Syria and its deadly aggression against Yemen.
The young prince’s meteoric rise, however, has sparked tensions within the Saudi royal family.
According to the report, bin Salman would seek to fundamentally change the role of religion in the kingdom on bin Zayed's advice.
One of the two Saudi sources said that bin Salman plans to cancel the Council of Senior Scholars, which is the kingdom's highest religious body, and stop all activities that serve Wahhabism.
“The aim will be for bin Salman to be hailed as a hero by the press, Congress, and academics, so that the US administration is forced to follow.”
Such a plan is highly risky given the influence of religious bodies in the kingdom and could lead to a serious showdown.
The second strategy advised by bin Zayed to win Washington’s backing was developing close relations with Israel.
Israel has covert ties with Arab states despite their claims that they would normalize relations with Tel Aviv only when it reaches a deal with the Palestinians.
In April, the Jerusalem Post wrote that “rather than being isolated, Israel is being incorporated into the Saudi-led orbit,” citing the opening of a mission in Abu Dhabi and increasing contacts in the Persian Gulf States.
One of the Saudi sources said Washington could be swayed into supporting bin Salman's bid to be king if he could achieve good communication with Israel, even if the Americans like their long-time ally bin Nayef.
Bin Nayef may be the first in line to throne but his quietness, and bin Salman’s prominence, has led many to conclude the experienced 56-year-old's power is waning.
During bin Salman’s recent visit to the US, where he met President Barack Obama, a report emerged that American intelligence officers believed the current Saudi ruler King Salman and Crown Prince Muhammad bin Nayef suffer from ill health.
“We’ve put a lot of markers down on Mohammed bin Nayef. It’s the smart move to do the same with bin Salman. It’s an opportunity to get to know him,” Bruce Riedel, an ex-national intelligence officer and a member of Obama’s transition team, said.
Ex-Advisor to Bahraini King Reveals S. Arabia's Hegemony over Al-Khalifa Regime
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950409001186
"Bahrain has fully been occupied by the Saudi forces and the Bahraini rulers are just taking orders from the Saudis," Bandar said.
"The current situation in Bahrain and revoking Sheikh Issa Qassim of citizenship are the result of the implementation of the Saudi officials' orders who have failed in their plots in Yemen, Iraq and Syria," he added.
Bandar described the Sunni minority's inactive role in political activities as the main problem in Bahrain.
Since mid-February 2011, Bahrain, a close ally of the US in the Persian Gulf region, has been witnessing almost daily protests demanding that the ruling family relinquish power.
The Al Khalifa regime is engaged in a harsh crackdown on dissent and widespread discrimination against the country's Shia majority. Scores of people have been killed and hundreds of others injured or arrested in the island country.
Earlier this month, the government suspended the main Shia opposition party, al-Wefaq, accusing it of having links to foreign terrorists and inciting hatred. Sheikh Ali Salman, al-Wefaq’s secretary-general, was arrested in 2014 on charges of inciting violence. His sentence was doubled to nine years on appeal last month.
The cabinet decided to revoke the citizenship of Sheikh Isa, an indigenous Bahraini who applied for nationality to get a passport in the 1960s, after a presentation by the interior ministry. The lack of judicial oversight raised concerns among rights groups.
Stripping the nationality of dissidents has become a popular tool for Persian Gulf Arab littoral states battling domestic dissent, such as Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, where nationality is perceived by many as a privilege not a right.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights says more than 250 Bahrainis have been stripped of their nationality for alleged disloyalty.
Saudi Fighter Jets Bomb Ta'iz, Kill 40 Yemeni civilians
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950409001196
The Saudi airstrikes targeted a local market in Ta'iz province in Southwestern Yemen, killing at least 40 Yemeni civilians, including women and children.
At least 15 other Yemeni people were injured in the Saudi air raids.
In a relevant development on Tuesday, at least 20 civilians were killed in Saudi airstrikes on Ta'iz Province.
Saudi warplanes bombed Hayfan district of Ta'iz, leaving at least 20 civilians dead and 15 others injured.
Some Yemeni media outlets have put the number of the dead at 35.
The news comes hours after four terrorist bomb attacks hit military and security positions in Mukalla city of Hadhramaut Province, leaving 48 civilians dead and some 30 others injured.
Meanwhile, a Saudi jets mistakenly hit a military convoy of pro-Riyadh militants in the strategic mountain of Hailan in Ma’rib Province on Monday night.
Five militants, including a commander, were killed and six others wounded in the air raid.
Saudi Arabia has launched the invasion to restore power to former President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi in the Arab world’s most impoverished country since March 2015.
More than 9,800 people have been killed and at least 16,000 others injured since the onset of the aggression.
Tensions have intensified recently in Yemen when the UN briefly blacklisted Saudi Arabia after an expert report found it responsible for 60 percent of the 785 children killed in Yemen last year.
The blacklisting infuriated the Saudis, and the UN removed Riyadh from the list under "undue pressure" from the kingdom and its allies which threatened to cut funds to the United Nations.
The Saudi government has requested that the UN send a team of experts to Riyadh to jointly review the report and for the UN to provide details on its sources and methods.
US Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon has accused Riyadh and its allies of financial blackmail but has landed himself in hot water amid questions raised about his integrity for submitting to the Saudi pressure.
Yemen's Ballistic Missile Hits Israeli Military Experts in Saudi Base in Asir Province
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950408000537
The Khamis Mushait air base in Asir province came under Yemen's Qaher-I ballistic missile on Tuesday.
There were no immediate report on the exact number of casualties, but eyewitnesses confirmed that the Yemeni missile precisely hit Khamis Mushait airbase.
The Yemeni missile attack came in retaliation for the Saudi airstrikes on Yemen's civilians.
Earlier, local sources in the Asir region located in the South of Saudi Arabia had also confirmed that an Israeli Air Force plane transported weapons, missiles and other equipment to Khamis Mushait air base in Asir to support the Saudi Alliance in aggression against Yemen.
In a relevant development last week, a media report said that the newly-leaked documents have uncovered close ties between the Israeli and Saudi regimes in the latter's war against Yemen.
Based on the documents, the Saudi defense minister has recently written a letter to the commander of border guards in the southern parts of the kingdom decreeing that security in the region should be handled by an Israeli company. The Israeli company has been mandated to deal with cross border retaliatory attacks carried out by Yemen's Ansarullah, al-Waght news website reported.
A report by Yemeni Najm al-Thaqeb website revealed that, following the failure of Saudi-backed forces in their attack on Yemen and after it became apparent that some Saudi frontier regions might fall into Yemeni forces and Ansarullah fighters' hands, the Saudi regime contracted an Israeli company known as Al Majal Group to oversee security in the Southern region. The Israeli company has already obtained 45 million US dollars to plant landmines and put barriers in the border region.
This is not the first time that Saudi Arabia is using services of the Israeli top security company.
Since 2010, the Israeli Al Majal Group has taken charge of security during the mandatory Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca, or Hajj. It was under the watch of the Israeli security company that over 4,000 Muslim pilgrims were killed during last year's Hajj following a deadly stampede in Mina, the worst in history.
Al Majal G4S is a private Israeli security contractor that has also been implicated in enabling the torture of administrative detainees in Palestine, including children, according to the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) activist Zaid Shuaibi.
The BDS campaign has not been sitting idly by. In October 2014, the campaign sent a clear message to the Saudi government, urging it to terminate the contract with the company that happens to provide equipment and security services to protect Israeli settlements, occupation checkpoints and police facilities. As expected, the Saudi government not only ignored the calls but also handed the Israeli company more power in handling security in the kingdom.
angelburst29
The Living Force
Another article on the Saudi issue of human rights violations. Basically, it parrots the information already posted but with the exception of this statement: "Members of the UN Humans Rights Council are elected for a three year term. Saudi Arabia is in its final year of membership."
I'm under the impression that the Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International groups might not be able to accomplish a two-thirds majority vote to oust the Saudi's before their term expires but they can make a lot of noise in repeating the Saudi violations - so the Saudi's won't be granted another 3 year term?
Saudi Arabia Issue Puts Credibility of UN Human Rights Council in Question
http://sputniknews.com/world/20160701/1042262507/saudi-arabia-human-rights-council.html
"And so we are making the call now, because no one has called Saudi Arabia to account over this, and previous attempts to do so have not been successful. In fact, Saudi Arabia has used its position as a member of the Human Rights Council to shield itself from international scrutiny."
Saudi Ambassador to the Human Rights Council Faisal Trad has said that he rejects accusations from Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.
"We are absolutely certain in our facts." Bennett asserted. "We don't doubt the conduct of Saudi Arabia and we think that they have disqualified themselves as a member of the Human Rights Council."
We consider that the Human Rights Council is an important organization to defend human rights globally, and its credibility is in the balance if it allows a serious violator of human rights like Saudi to remain as an influential member of that council."
Members of the UN Humans Rights Council are elected for a three year term. Saudi Arabia is in its final year of membership. Only a two-thirds majority vote of the UN General Assembly can suspend the country from the council.
"It is not an easy call, but that's not the reason for us to refrain from making it." Bennett said. "We believe that the issue ought to be raised in the General Assembly."
I'm under the impression that the Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International groups might not be able to accomplish a two-thirds majority vote to oust the Saudi's before their term expires but they can make a lot of noise in repeating the Saudi violations - so the Saudi's won't be granted another 3 year term?
Saudi Arabia Issue Puts Credibility of UN Human Rights Council in Question
http://sputniknews.com/world/20160701/1042262507/saudi-arabia-human-rights-council.html
"And so we are making the call now, because no one has called Saudi Arabia to account over this, and previous attempts to do so have not been successful. In fact, Saudi Arabia has used its position as a member of the Human Rights Council to shield itself from international scrutiny."
Saudi Ambassador to the Human Rights Council Faisal Trad has said that he rejects accusations from Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.
"We are absolutely certain in our facts." Bennett asserted. "We don't doubt the conduct of Saudi Arabia and we think that they have disqualified themselves as a member of the Human Rights Council."
We consider that the Human Rights Council is an important organization to defend human rights globally, and its credibility is in the balance if it allows a serious violator of human rights like Saudi to remain as an influential member of that council."
Members of the UN Humans Rights Council are elected for a three year term. Saudi Arabia is in its final year of membership. Only a two-thirds majority vote of the UN General Assembly can suspend the country from the council.
"It is not an easy call, but that's not the reason for us to refrain from making it." Bennett said. "We believe that the issue ought to be raised in the General Assembly."
angelburst29 said:
angelburst29 said:
Hopefully yes and they'll be kicked out, but since Saudi Arabia is allies with the US and UK, I'm not sure. Even if Saudi Arabia will be suspended from the council, it probably would continue bombing Yemen and it probably would continue to receive arms. At least it would be a step in the right direction, but I don't think SA would be happy about that! That part about the blackmail that you mentioned could play a role as well. There is also some pressure on UK's supply of illegal weapons to SA (here), but not sure if anything will happen with that either :( Regarding Israel, yeah it's been supporting SA as far as I know, and it's been supplying SA with fighter jets.
Ruth
The Living Force
Lilou said:RT just reported that the Saudi coalition let an aid shipment into Yemen, but apparently only vaccines! Nothing helpful - no antibiotics, medicines, clean drinking water or food - just the vaccines.
Not surprising at all. It's like supplying a bunch of tinned foods and not the means to open them. Completely useless. A pretend good-will gesture. I'm sure the Saudis can do better than that.
angelburst29
The Living Force
On Thursday, a source in Yemen's Civil Aviation and Meteorology Authority told Sputnik that the Saudi-led coalition had barred UN aircraft from landing in the Sanaa airport, despite its Wednesday’s pledge to allow aircraft and vessels, carrying UN humanitarian aid, in the airport, as well as in Al Hudaydah and Salif seaports.
Four Humanitarian Aid Flights Land in Yemen in 24 Hours
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201711261059438305-yemen-sanaa-humanitarian-aid-crisis/
Also, on Friday, a spokesperson of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA) said that the coalition had informed the United Nations that it would allow civilian flights operated by the UN Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) to arrive in the Yemeni capital starting on Saturday.
Finally, on Saturday, three aircraft from the United Nations, and one plane from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), carrying humanitarian cargo, landed in the Sanaa International Airport in Yemen.
"Four airplanes have recently landed in the Sanaa International Airport, two from the United Nations, one from the United Nations Children's Fund, which has brought 15 tonnes of vaccines for the children, and another one from the International Committee of the Red Cross," the source in country's Civil Aviation and Meteorology Authority said.
The Saudi-led coalition against the Houthi insurgent movement in Yemen said it was closing the Yemeni ground, air, and sea ports on November 6, following a ballistic missile fired over Riyadh from Yemen. By imposing the blockade, the coalition aimed to halt alleged arms deliveries to the Houthis from Iran.
The blockade has been subsequently partially lifted. However, the humanitarian organizations have called on Saudi Arabia to fully end the blockade, as it may lead to further deterioration of the acute humanitarian crisis in the country.
First Aid Flights Touch down in Yemen Capital after Three-Week Blockade
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13960905000225
Three other aircraft, two carrying UN aid workers and one carrying International Committee of the Red Cross staff, also landed at the airport, which was repaired earlier this week after a Saudi-led air strike knocked out its controls, France24 reported.
The UN humanitarian affairs office had said that it had been given clearance by the Saudi-led coalition that has been waging an incursion into Yemen since 2015 to resume flights into Sanaa. But it added that desperately needed shipments of food and medicines to the Red Sea port of Hodeida remained blocked.
A spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition was quoted as saying that 42 permits have been issued for international aid flights to Sanaa and naval shipments to Hodeidah, but officials at the port said on Saturday that no ships have arrived yet and they were not expecting any to dock soon.
The UN Children's Fund said the flight was carrying more than 15 tons, or 1.9 million doses, of vaccine for diphtheria, tetanus and other preventable diseases.
The World Health Organization confirmed earlier this week that diphtheria was spreading as children went unvaccinated and doctors in Hodeida reported three deaths.
The aid blockade, put in place after the a missile was fired at Riyadh airport, has tightened the stranglehold on Hodeida, the conduit for UN supervised deliveries of food and medicine to the territory under the control of the Yemeni popular forces.
The United Nations has warned that unless the blockade is lifted, Yemen will face "the largest famine the world has seen for decades".
Seven million Yemenis are completely dependent on humanitarian supplies for their survival, according to the UN.
Mistakenly Posted Photos Allegedly Expose UK Training Saudi Forces in Yemen War 26.11.2017
https://sputniknews.com/world/201711261059444427-uk-report-saudi-forces-training/
The British military is training Saudi forces to fight in Yemen, where a conflict between the Riyadh-backed government and rebels has claimed over 12,000 lives, The Daily Mail reported Sunday.
The program, codenamed Operation Crossways, involves nearly 50 British military personnel from the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland, according to the report. They are teaching "irregular warfare" techniques to officers from the Royal Saudi Land Forces Infantry Institute.
The newspaper specifies that "irregular warfare" is a collective name for a set of tactics used by conventional military forces to fight terrorists.
In one of the photographs released in the media report, an alleged British Army trainer is seen standing next to a map of Yemen and explaining tactics to Saudi military personnel.
According to the report, the alleged program has been secret and came to light only after the army released photos and information by mistake on the battalion’s Facebook page earlier this month.
The British military involvement is a "shameful complicity" in the suffering Yemenis are facing in the ongoing conflict, Tory lawmaker and former Development Secretary Andrew Mitchell told the newspaper.
"The UK has been shamefully complicit in Saudi’s role in Yemen," Mitchell said.
He has also demanded that the British government provide answers in the Commons about its reported role in the Yemeni conflict.
"I have no doubt Parliament will require an explanation of this training mission in view of the high level of concern about the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Yemen," Mitchel said.
Yemen has been for years engulfed in a violent conflict between the government headed by President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi and the Shiite Houthi movement, also known as Ansar Allah, and backed by army units loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh. Since March 2015, the Saudi-led coalition of mostly Persian Gulf countries has been carrying out airstrikes against the Houthis at Hadi's request.
The United Nations is investigating the situation in Yemen, referring to it as "the worst humanitarian crisis in the world," with 17 million people in dire need of food, seven million of whom fully rely on imported food.
Earlier in November, UN Secretary General Antonio Gutteres described the conflict as "stupid" and called Saudi Arabia to lift its blockade of Yemen. On Friday, Riyadh said it would allow UN humanitarian flights to Yemen starting Saturday. Finally, on Saturday, three aircraft from the UN and one plane from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), carrying humanitarian cargo, landed at Sanaa International Airport in Yemen.
Report: UK MPs Accused of 'Perks for Questions' over Saudi Arabia Visit
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13960905000942
The latest figures from the Register of Members' Interests show that 13 Conservative MPs, including the influential former chair of Conservative Middle East Council (CMEC) Leo Docherty, have accepted a total of £87,467 ($116,600) in hospitality from the Saudi government this year, prompting concerns that MPs are being used to launder the reputation of the government in Riyadh, Middle East Eye reported.
One Labour MP, Liam Byrne, also accepted a donation worth £6,722 ($8,964), bringing the Saudi lobbying bill to a total of £94,189 ($126,939) for cross-party MPs this year.
It's bad enough seeing the government's constant failure to condemn Saudi Arabia's appalling human rights record, but now we're seeing a growing band of Tory MPs enjoying free trips courtesy of the Saudi regime
The hospitality included business-class flights, luxury hotel stays, fine dining and meetings with King Salman and senior officials. The Register shows the figure is almost a threefold increase on Saudi government spending on hospitality from 2016.
One group visit came weeks before Docherty and other backbench MPs questioned Theresa May's government over defense co-operation with the kingdom and urged the sale of Eurofighter Typhoon jets from UK arms giant BAE Systems to Saudi Arabia, prompting allegations of "perks for questions” from campaigners.
The rise in Saudi Arabia's lobbying efforts come as the kingdom's relationship with the UK is coming under increasing scrutiny in Westminster after former Tory cabinet minister Andrew Mitchell this week accused the UK of being "dangerously complicit" in a Saudi policy towards Yemen that is "promoting a famine and the collective punishment of an entire population".
According to the Register of Members' Interests, Saudi Arabia has intensified its lobbying efforts since the start of the Yemen war in early 2015, and Conservative MPs have accepted more than £130,000 ($173,300) in hospitality since the start of the conflict, which has claimed more than 15,000 lives.
Docherty led a delegation of four backbench MPs to meet with King Salman at the al-Salam palace in a six-day trip in September. According to the Register of Members" Interests, each MP recorded donations of £7,800 ($10,400) from the Saudi Arabia Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including business-class flights, luxury accommodation and unspecified food, transport and hospitality, for the visit to the kingdom.
The Commons code of conduct states that MPs must disclose any financial interest or benefit they have received, directly or indirectly, if speaking during relevant debates in the House or submitting questions.
But an investigation by MEE has revealed that Docherty, a former captain in the British Army who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, did not declare his visit to Saudi Arabia when, the next month, he submitted two written questions regarding arms exports to Saudi Arabia and in defense of the Ministry of Defenses' support for a close relationship with the kingdom.
Docherty's failure to disclose the trip has prompted Liberal Democrat MP Tom Brake to submit a formal complaint to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards and to call for the Tory backbencher to face investigation.
The Code of Conduct for Members of Parliament states: "Members shall fulfil conscientiously the requirements of the House in respect of the registration of interests in the Register of Members' Financial Interests. They shall always be open and frank in drawing attention to any relevant interest in any proceeding of the House or its Committees, and in any communications with Ministers, Members, public officials or public office holders."
In the letter to Kathryn Hudson, the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, this week Brake wrote: "Mr Docherty failed to draw attention to his Register of Members' Interests and his visit to Saudi Arabia when he asked these questions and I am therefore concerned that Mr Docherty has broken the Code of Conduct."
During the visit to Saudi Arabia, Docherty and his fellow MPs met with members of the Shura Council, an unelected body appointed by the king.
Saudi Arabia has been ruled by the Saud family since 1932 and the government restricts almost all political rights and civil liberties, according to the Freedom House monitoring group.
The use of torture and the death penalty remains common and authorities severely restrict rights to freedom of expression and assembly, often imprisoning peaceful critics, according to Amnesty International.
"It's bad enough seeing the government's constant failure to condemn Saudi Arabia's appalling human rights record, but now we're seeing a growing band of Tory MPs enjoying free trips courtesy of the Saudi regime," Brake told MEE.
He added: "The job of an MP is to scrutinize the government and their relationship with foreign regimes. Being best buddies with those same regimes is hardly likely to lead to forensic scrutiny of the UK government's actions."
Four Humanitarian Aid Flights Land in Yemen in 24 Hours
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201711261059438305-yemen-sanaa-humanitarian-aid-crisis/
Also, on Friday, a spokesperson of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA) said that the coalition had informed the United Nations that it would allow civilian flights operated by the UN Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) to arrive in the Yemeni capital starting on Saturday.
Finally, on Saturday, three aircraft from the United Nations, and one plane from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), carrying humanitarian cargo, landed in the Sanaa International Airport in Yemen.
"Four airplanes have recently landed in the Sanaa International Airport, two from the United Nations, one from the United Nations Children's Fund, which has brought 15 tonnes of vaccines for the children, and another one from the International Committee of the Red Cross," the source in country's Civil Aviation and Meteorology Authority said.
The Saudi-led coalition against the Houthi insurgent movement in Yemen said it was closing the Yemeni ground, air, and sea ports on November 6, following a ballistic missile fired over Riyadh from Yemen. By imposing the blockade, the coalition aimed to halt alleged arms deliveries to the Houthis from Iran.
The blockade has been subsequently partially lifted. However, the humanitarian organizations have called on Saudi Arabia to fully end the blockade, as it may lead to further deterioration of the acute humanitarian crisis in the country.
First Aid Flights Touch down in Yemen Capital after Three-Week Blockade
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13960905000225
Three other aircraft, two carrying UN aid workers and one carrying International Committee of the Red Cross staff, also landed at the airport, which was repaired earlier this week after a Saudi-led air strike knocked out its controls, France24 reported.
The UN humanitarian affairs office had said that it had been given clearance by the Saudi-led coalition that has been waging an incursion into Yemen since 2015 to resume flights into Sanaa. But it added that desperately needed shipments of food and medicines to the Red Sea port of Hodeida remained blocked.
A spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition was quoted as saying that 42 permits have been issued for international aid flights to Sanaa and naval shipments to Hodeidah, but officials at the port said on Saturday that no ships have arrived yet and they were not expecting any to dock soon.
The UN Children's Fund said the flight was carrying more than 15 tons, or 1.9 million doses, of vaccine for diphtheria, tetanus and other preventable diseases.
The World Health Organization confirmed earlier this week that diphtheria was spreading as children went unvaccinated and doctors in Hodeida reported three deaths.
The aid blockade, put in place after the a missile was fired at Riyadh airport, has tightened the stranglehold on Hodeida, the conduit for UN supervised deliveries of food and medicine to the territory under the control of the Yemeni popular forces.
The United Nations has warned that unless the blockade is lifted, Yemen will face "the largest famine the world has seen for decades".
Seven million Yemenis are completely dependent on humanitarian supplies for their survival, according to the UN.
Mistakenly Posted Photos Allegedly Expose UK Training Saudi Forces in Yemen War 26.11.2017
https://sputniknews.com/world/201711261059444427-uk-report-saudi-forces-training/
The British military is training Saudi forces to fight in Yemen, where a conflict between the Riyadh-backed government and rebels has claimed over 12,000 lives, The Daily Mail reported Sunday.
The program, codenamed Operation Crossways, involves nearly 50 British military personnel from the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland, according to the report. They are teaching "irregular warfare" techniques to officers from the Royal Saudi Land Forces Infantry Institute.
The newspaper specifies that "irregular warfare" is a collective name for a set of tactics used by conventional military forces to fight terrorists.
In one of the photographs released in the media report, an alleged British Army trainer is seen standing next to a map of Yemen and explaining tactics to Saudi military personnel.
According to the report, the alleged program has been secret and came to light only after the army released photos and information by mistake on the battalion’s Facebook page earlier this month.
The British military involvement is a "shameful complicity" in the suffering Yemenis are facing in the ongoing conflict, Tory lawmaker and former Development Secretary Andrew Mitchell told the newspaper.
"The UK has been shamefully complicit in Saudi’s role in Yemen," Mitchell said.
He has also demanded that the British government provide answers in the Commons about its reported role in the Yemeni conflict.
"I have no doubt Parliament will require an explanation of this training mission in view of the high level of concern about the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Yemen," Mitchel said.
Yemen has been for years engulfed in a violent conflict between the government headed by President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi and the Shiite Houthi movement, also known as Ansar Allah, and backed by army units loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh. Since March 2015, the Saudi-led coalition of mostly Persian Gulf countries has been carrying out airstrikes against the Houthis at Hadi's request.
The United Nations is investigating the situation in Yemen, referring to it as "the worst humanitarian crisis in the world," with 17 million people in dire need of food, seven million of whom fully rely on imported food.
Earlier in November, UN Secretary General Antonio Gutteres described the conflict as "stupid" and called Saudi Arabia to lift its blockade of Yemen. On Friday, Riyadh said it would allow UN humanitarian flights to Yemen starting Saturday. Finally, on Saturday, three aircraft from the UN and one plane from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), carrying humanitarian cargo, landed at Sanaa International Airport in Yemen.
Report: UK MPs Accused of 'Perks for Questions' over Saudi Arabia Visit
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13960905000942
The latest figures from the Register of Members' Interests show that 13 Conservative MPs, including the influential former chair of Conservative Middle East Council (CMEC) Leo Docherty, have accepted a total of £87,467 ($116,600) in hospitality from the Saudi government this year, prompting concerns that MPs are being used to launder the reputation of the government in Riyadh, Middle East Eye reported.
One Labour MP, Liam Byrne, also accepted a donation worth £6,722 ($8,964), bringing the Saudi lobbying bill to a total of £94,189 ($126,939) for cross-party MPs this year.
It's bad enough seeing the government's constant failure to condemn Saudi Arabia's appalling human rights record, but now we're seeing a growing band of Tory MPs enjoying free trips courtesy of the Saudi regime
The hospitality included business-class flights, luxury hotel stays, fine dining and meetings with King Salman and senior officials. The Register shows the figure is almost a threefold increase on Saudi government spending on hospitality from 2016.
One group visit came weeks before Docherty and other backbench MPs questioned Theresa May's government over defense co-operation with the kingdom and urged the sale of Eurofighter Typhoon jets from UK arms giant BAE Systems to Saudi Arabia, prompting allegations of "perks for questions” from campaigners.
The rise in Saudi Arabia's lobbying efforts come as the kingdom's relationship with the UK is coming under increasing scrutiny in Westminster after former Tory cabinet minister Andrew Mitchell this week accused the UK of being "dangerously complicit" in a Saudi policy towards Yemen that is "promoting a famine and the collective punishment of an entire population".
According to the Register of Members' Interests, Saudi Arabia has intensified its lobbying efforts since the start of the Yemen war in early 2015, and Conservative MPs have accepted more than £130,000 ($173,300) in hospitality since the start of the conflict, which has claimed more than 15,000 lives.
Docherty led a delegation of four backbench MPs to meet with King Salman at the al-Salam palace in a six-day trip in September. According to the Register of Members" Interests, each MP recorded donations of £7,800 ($10,400) from the Saudi Arabia Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including business-class flights, luxury accommodation and unspecified food, transport and hospitality, for the visit to the kingdom.
The Commons code of conduct states that MPs must disclose any financial interest or benefit they have received, directly or indirectly, if speaking during relevant debates in the House or submitting questions.
But an investigation by MEE has revealed that Docherty, a former captain in the British Army who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, did not declare his visit to Saudi Arabia when, the next month, he submitted two written questions regarding arms exports to Saudi Arabia and in defense of the Ministry of Defenses' support for a close relationship with the kingdom.
Docherty's failure to disclose the trip has prompted Liberal Democrat MP Tom Brake to submit a formal complaint to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards and to call for the Tory backbencher to face investigation.
The Code of Conduct for Members of Parliament states: "Members shall fulfil conscientiously the requirements of the House in respect of the registration of interests in the Register of Members' Financial Interests. They shall always be open and frank in drawing attention to any relevant interest in any proceeding of the House or its Committees, and in any communications with Ministers, Members, public officials or public office holders."
In the letter to Kathryn Hudson, the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, this week Brake wrote: "Mr Docherty failed to draw attention to his Register of Members' Interests and his visit to Saudi Arabia when he asked these questions and I am therefore concerned that Mr Docherty has broken the Code of Conduct."
During the visit to Saudi Arabia, Docherty and his fellow MPs met with members of the Shura Council, an unelected body appointed by the king.
Saudi Arabia has been ruled by the Saud family since 1932 and the government restricts almost all political rights and civil liberties, according to the Freedom House monitoring group.
The use of torture and the death penalty remains common and authorities severely restrict rights to freedom of expression and assembly, often imprisoning peaceful critics, according to Amnesty International.
"It's bad enough seeing the government's constant failure to condemn Saudi Arabia's appalling human rights record, but now we're seeing a growing band of Tory MPs enjoying free trips courtesy of the Saudi regime," Brake told MEE.
He added: "The job of an MP is to scrutinize the government and their relationship with foreign regimes. Being best buddies with those same regimes is hardly likely to lead to forensic scrutiny of the UK government's actions."
angelburst29
The Living Force
A group of retired military and police officers in Malaysia censured the Southeast Asian country’s reported complicity in the Saudi-led military campaign against Yemen.
Retired Officers Slam Malaysia’s ‘Unwise’ Role in Saudi-Led Aggression on Yemen
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13960907000711
The National Patriot Association (NPA) president Mohamed Arshad Raji said in a statement on Tuesday that based on a recent media report, including one published by Al Jazeera, Malaysian military personnel have joined the Saudi-led coalition, presstv reported,
“If the Al Jazeera news report is true, then NPA wants to register its strongest protest against the participation of the armed forces in the Saudi-led coalition forces and the involvement of our military personnel in this Middle Eastern conflict,” Arshad said.
Back in January, a United Nations panel of experts said Malaysian officers were among those working at the coalition’s Riyadh headquarters, warning that the Saudi-led attacks on Yemen “may amount to war crimes.”
Defense Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said the Malaysian troops were present in Saudi Arabia not for fighting against Yemen’s Ansarullah fighters, but rather gaining experience, specifically on the evacuation mission and disaster relief.
“Saudi Arabia leadership gave our armed forces some lessons,” he said, adding, “I don’t think that is a problem. Our policy to stay within Saudi Arabian borders has not changed.”
Elsewhere in his remarks, Arshad challenged the authority under which the Malaysian government had deployed armed forces abroad in general, and more specifically to assist the Saudis in the war on Yemen.
“Does Malaysia have any military agreements with Saudi Arabia allowing our country to send its troops to Saudi Arabia?” he asked. “Also, who is financing the cost of the armed forces’ involvement in Saudi Arabia so far? In the event of any injury or death involving members of the armed forces, who shall be held accountable?”
Arshad further stressed that “it is unwise for the Malaysian armed forces to be involved in the conflict between Saudi Arabia and Yemen, which has unnecessarily put our military personnel in harm’s way.”
Since March 2015, Saudi Arabia has been incessantly pounding Yemen in an attempt to crush the Ansarullah movement and reinstate former Riyadh-friendly regime, but the kingdom has achieved neither of its goals.
The protracted Saudi war, which has been accompanied by a land, naval, and aerial blockade of Yemen, has so far killed over 15,000 people.
Over 17 million Yemenis are also in need of food as a result of the war and blockade, which have also caused a cholera epidemic.
UN Urges Saudi-led Coalition to Ease Blockade on Yemeni Ports
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13960907000414
UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said three humanitarian flights landed and took off from the capital of Sanaa on Saturday, the first commercial cargo vessel docked in the port of Hodeida on Sunday, and a UN-chartered vessel docked at the port in Salif on Monday, Globe and Mail reported.
Despite the resumption, he warned that rapidly dwindling fuel stocks and the dire humanitarian situation are pushing at least 7 million people toward famine.
Dujarric said the commercial ship carried 5,500 metric tons of wheat flour and the UN-chartered vessel carried 25,000 metric tons of bulk wheat.
But he stressed that "it is important that there is unimpeded access for both humanitarian and commercial cargo to enter Hodeida and Salif ports, including those carrying fuel."
"Fuel is urgently required to operate generators for hospitals, water well pumps and sanitation units and to facilitate the trucking of drinking water and staple food" to some 21 million Yemenis who need humanitarian assistance, he said.
Dujarric said one of the flights Saturday delivered 1.9 million doses of diphtheria vaccines, enough to protect 600,000 children against whooping cough, tuberculosis, pneumonia and meningitis.
"These vaccines will help to contain the current outbreak of diphtheria, which since August has seen more than 170 suspected cases and at least 14 deaths recorded in Ibb governorate," he said.
Earlier, the Nobel Women's Initiative, a group of Nobel peace laureates, had urged the Saudi-led coalition fighting against Yemen to end the blockade on the Arab world's poorest country, citing the hardships it has caused.
The Saudi-led coalition went to war against Yemen in March 2015 in an attempt to reinstate fugitive former president Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi. But the coalition has made little progress.
The US-backed coalition tightened a land, sea and air blockade Nov. 6 after a missile attack on the Saudi capital of Riyadh. Saudi Arabia said Monday that the coalition would lift the blockade.
Over the past two years, the war in Yemen has killed more than 5,000 people and left over 3 million displaced amid the coalition's air campaign.
Retired Officers Slam Malaysia’s ‘Unwise’ Role in Saudi-Led Aggression on Yemen
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13960907000711
The National Patriot Association (NPA) president Mohamed Arshad Raji said in a statement on Tuesday that based on a recent media report, including one published by Al Jazeera, Malaysian military personnel have joined the Saudi-led coalition, presstv reported,
“If the Al Jazeera news report is true, then NPA wants to register its strongest protest against the participation of the armed forces in the Saudi-led coalition forces and the involvement of our military personnel in this Middle Eastern conflict,” Arshad said.
Back in January, a United Nations panel of experts said Malaysian officers were among those working at the coalition’s Riyadh headquarters, warning that the Saudi-led attacks on Yemen “may amount to war crimes.”
Defense Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said the Malaysian troops were present in Saudi Arabia not for fighting against Yemen’s Ansarullah fighters, but rather gaining experience, specifically on the evacuation mission and disaster relief.
“Saudi Arabia leadership gave our armed forces some lessons,” he said, adding, “I don’t think that is a problem. Our policy to stay within Saudi Arabian borders has not changed.”
Elsewhere in his remarks, Arshad challenged the authority under which the Malaysian government had deployed armed forces abroad in general, and more specifically to assist the Saudis in the war on Yemen.
“Does Malaysia have any military agreements with Saudi Arabia allowing our country to send its troops to Saudi Arabia?” he asked. “Also, who is financing the cost of the armed forces’ involvement in Saudi Arabia so far? In the event of any injury or death involving members of the armed forces, who shall be held accountable?”
Arshad further stressed that “it is unwise for the Malaysian armed forces to be involved in the conflict between Saudi Arabia and Yemen, which has unnecessarily put our military personnel in harm’s way.”
Since March 2015, Saudi Arabia has been incessantly pounding Yemen in an attempt to crush the Ansarullah movement and reinstate former Riyadh-friendly regime, but the kingdom has achieved neither of its goals.
The protracted Saudi war, which has been accompanied by a land, naval, and aerial blockade of Yemen, has so far killed over 15,000 people.
Over 17 million Yemenis are also in need of food as a result of the war and blockade, which have also caused a cholera epidemic.
UN Urges Saudi-led Coalition to Ease Blockade on Yemeni Ports
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13960907000414
UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said three humanitarian flights landed and took off from the capital of Sanaa on Saturday, the first commercial cargo vessel docked in the port of Hodeida on Sunday, and a UN-chartered vessel docked at the port in Salif on Monday, Globe and Mail reported.
Despite the resumption, he warned that rapidly dwindling fuel stocks and the dire humanitarian situation are pushing at least 7 million people toward famine.
Dujarric said the commercial ship carried 5,500 metric tons of wheat flour and the UN-chartered vessel carried 25,000 metric tons of bulk wheat.
But he stressed that "it is important that there is unimpeded access for both humanitarian and commercial cargo to enter Hodeida and Salif ports, including those carrying fuel."
"Fuel is urgently required to operate generators for hospitals, water well pumps and sanitation units and to facilitate the trucking of drinking water and staple food" to some 21 million Yemenis who need humanitarian assistance, he said.
Dujarric said one of the flights Saturday delivered 1.9 million doses of diphtheria vaccines, enough to protect 600,000 children against whooping cough, tuberculosis, pneumonia and meningitis.
"These vaccines will help to contain the current outbreak of diphtheria, which since August has seen more than 170 suspected cases and at least 14 deaths recorded in Ibb governorate," he said.
Earlier, the Nobel Women's Initiative, a group of Nobel peace laureates, had urged the Saudi-led coalition fighting against Yemen to end the blockade on the Arab world's poorest country, citing the hardships it has caused.
The Saudi-led coalition went to war against Yemen in March 2015 in an attempt to reinstate fugitive former president Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi. But the coalition has made little progress.
The US-backed coalition tightened a land, sea and air blockade Nov. 6 after a missile attack on the Saudi capital of Riyadh. Saudi Arabia said Monday that the coalition would lift the blockade.
Over the past two years, the war in Yemen has killed more than 5,000 people and left over 3 million displaced amid the coalition's air campaign.
angelburst29
The Living Force
Note: Serious situation developing in Yemen - reports of a house explosion at former Yemeni president Ali Abdullah Saleh residence and conflicting reports if he had been killed fleeing Sana'a to Ma'arib province?
Saudi-Led Coalition Strikes Houthis in Support of Yemen's Saleh - Reports
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201712031059652266-yemen-coalition-support-houthis/
The Saudi-led coalition has allegedly bombed Houthi positions in Sanaa, while the group is fighting the supporters of ex-Yemeni president Ali Abdullah Saleh, the Shiite movement's former ally, local residents and the Saudi-owned al-Arabiya television reported. The information is yet to be commented on by the representatives of the coalition.
According to the broadcaster, the coalition's aircraft struck Houthi outposts in the south of the capital but hasn't specified the number of casualties. At the same time, residents have reported at least five air strikes.
Clashes between the former allies — the Houthis and supporters of former Yemeni president Ali Abdullah Saleh, have been ongoing in the southern districts of the Yemeni capital for several days after an alleged attempt by the rebels to seize the city's main mosque.
In a Saturday speech, described by the Houthis as "deception," Saleh announced that he was ready to turn "a new page" in relations with the Saudi-led coalition if the latter stopped attacking his country.
We vow to our brothers and neighbors that, after a ceasefire is in place and the blockade is lifted… we will hold dialogue directly through the legitimate authority represented by our parliament," Saleh said.
The Saudi-led coalition welcomed the announcement amid a reported lack of progress in the fight against the former alliance that had taken under its control the entire north of Yemen, forcing President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi to flee into exile.
Following Saleh's address, the Houthis have seized studios of the Yemen Today broadcaster, owned by Saleh, trapping some 20 employees inside, residents say.
According to the International Committee of the Red Cross, the several-day-long clashes left dozens dead and hundreds injured, aggravating an already complex situation that is regarded as one of the worst humanitarian crises in recent times.
Yemen Gov't Ready to Offer Amnesty to Those Who Cut Ties With Houthi Rebels - PM
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201712041059669356-yemen-amnesty-houthis/
Yemeni Prime Minister Ahmed bin Daghr said that "the president [Mansour Hadi] proposed to offer an amnesty for those, who had fought for the Houthi rebels, but decided to leave the movement."
The statement comes after ex-Yemeni president Ali Abdullah Saleh announced Saturday that he was ready to turn "a new page" in relations with the Saudi-led coalition if the latter stopped attacking his country.
The decision was labeled "deceitful" by the Houthis and prompted clashes between the movement and Saleh's supporters in the southern Sanaa. On Sunday, the Saudi-led coalition allegedly bombed Houthi positions in the city, but no official data on casualties has been provided so far.
Ansarullah: Hundreds of Traitors Surrendering in Sana'a
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13960913000908
Abdolsalam was quoted as saying by al-Mayadeen news channel on Monday that the militia surrendered after understanding that the recent moves were all clear acts of betrayal.
He added that the security forces have cleansed several military bases in Sana'a from "betrayers", referring to the forces loyal to former Yemeni president Ali Abdullah Saleh.
Abdolsalam also warned that the Saudi-led coalition fighter jets have pounded the civilian houses and public properties and are cooperating with the Saleh militia with all their power.
The new change in the course of the Yemeni conflict came after former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh and his supporters turned their weapons against Ansarullah movement.
Saleh has voiced his readiness to hold talks with the Saudi-led leaders to reach a compromise.
Meantime, Ansarullah leader Abdul-Malek al-Houthi accused Saleh of "betrayal," vowing to keep fighting against the Saudi-led coalition.
The coalition later welcomed Saleh's new stance and offered to provide support to fight the Ansarullah fighters, according to Al-Arabiya.
Meantime, the Arabic-language al-Arabiya TV claimed that the fire broke out in the Iranian embassy after a rocket hit the embassy building.
Yemeni President Hadi Reportedly Orders Forces to Retake Capital of Sanaa
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201712041059671348-yemen-president-sanaa-retake/
Yemeni President Mansour Hadi has allegedly ordered forces to retake the country's capital of Sanaa, AFP news agency reported Monday, citing a presidential source. However, no official confirmation hasn't been issued yet.
The announcement comes after Yemeni Prime Minister Ahmed bin Daghr said earlier this day that the government had proposed to offer an amnesty for those, who cut ties with the Houthi rebels.
Clashes between the former allies — the Houthis and supporters of former Yemeni president Ali Abdullah Saleh, have been ongoing in the southern districts of the Yemeni capital for several days after an alleged attempt by the rebels to seize the city's main mosque.
Yemeni Houthi Rebels Blow Up Ex-President Saleh's House - Reports
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201712041059671461-yemen-houthis-saleh-house/
Houthis' forces' representative Yahya al Mehdi has told Sputnik Arabic that former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh had allegedly been killed, confirming Iranian media Alalam reports. The head of a department of the Yemeni army, which is in alliance with the Houthis, Yahya al Mahdi has also confirmed to Sputnik the death of Saleh.
According to Yahya al Mahdi, Saleh was allegedly killed several hours ago on the Sinhan-Maareb highway amid his secret movements through the country.
However, the claims have been denied by the Yemeni General People's Congress (Saleh's party) sources cited by Sky News Arabia.
The speculations of Saleh's death comes minutes after Reuters reported citing local residents that Houthi rebels had allegedly blown up the house of ex-President Saleh in Sanaa. However, no official confirmation of the information has followed so far.
While the current whereabouts of Saleh reportedly remain unknown, the alleged attack comes amid a six-day heavy fighting in the Yemeni capital between the forces loyal to the ex-president and the rebels.
Reports: Ali Abdullah Saleh Killed Escaping from Sana'a
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13960913001176
Reports by Iranian, Russian and Arab media said that Saleh was fleeing Sana'a on an armored vehicle when his vehicle was hit and destroyed.
Meantime, some other Arab media outlets claim that he has survived the attack.
There is yet no independent report on the fate of the former president.
Saudi-Led Coalition Strikes Houthis in Support of Yemen's Saleh - Reports
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201712031059652266-yemen-coalition-support-houthis/
The Saudi-led coalition has allegedly bombed Houthi positions in Sanaa, while the group is fighting the supporters of ex-Yemeni president Ali Abdullah Saleh, the Shiite movement's former ally, local residents and the Saudi-owned al-Arabiya television reported. The information is yet to be commented on by the representatives of the coalition.
According to the broadcaster, the coalition's aircraft struck Houthi outposts in the south of the capital but hasn't specified the number of casualties. At the same time, residents have reported at least five air strikes.
Clashes between the former allies — the Houthis and supporters of former Yemeni president Ali Abdullah Saleh, have been ongoing in the southern districts of the Yemeni capital for several days after an alleged attempt by the rebels to seize the city's main mosque.
In a Saturday speech, described by the Houthis as "deception," Saleh announced that he was ready to turn "a new page" in relations with the Saudi-led coalition if the latter stopped attacking his country.
We vow to our brothers and neighbors that, after a ceasefire is in place and the blockade is lifted… we will hold dialogue directly through the legitimate authority represented by our parliament," Saleh said.
The Saudi-led coalition welcomed the announcement amid a reported lack of progress in the fight against the former alliance that had taken under its control the entire north of Yemen, forcing President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi to flee into exile.
Following Saleh's address, the Houthis have seized studios of the Yemen Today broadcaster, owned by Saleh, trapping some 20 employees inside, residents say.
According to the International Committee of the Red Cross, the several-day-long clashes left dozens dead and hundreds injured, aggravating an already complex situation that is regarded as one of the worst humanitarian crises in recent times.
Yemen Gov't Ready to Offer Amnesty to Those Who Cut Ties With Houthi Rebels - PM
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201712041059669356-yemen-amnesty-houthis/
Yemeni Prime Minister Ahmed bin Daghr said that "the president [Mansour Hadi] proposed to offer an amnesty for those, who had fought for the Houthi rebels, but decided to leave the movement."
The statement comes after ex-Yemeni president Ali Abdullah Saleh announced Saturday that he was ready to turn "a new page" in relations with the Saudi-led coalition if the latter stopped attacking his country.
The decision was labeled "deceitful" by the Houthis and prompted clashes between the movement and Saleh's supporters in the southern Sanaa. On Sunday, the Saudi-led coalition allegedly bombed Houthi positions in the city, but no official data on casualties has been provided so far.
Ansarullah: Hundreds of Traitors Surrendering in Sana'a
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13960913000908
Abdolsalam was quoted as saying by al-Mayadeen news channel on Monday that the militia surrendered after understanding that the recent moves were all clear acts of betrayal.
He added that the security forces have cleansed several military bases in Sana'a from "betrayers", referring to the forces loyal to former Yemeni president Ali Abdullah Saleh.
Abdolsalam also warned that the Saudi-led coalition fighter jets have pounded the civilian houses and public properties and are cooperating with the Saleh militia with all their power.
The new change in the course of the Yemeni conflict came after former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh and his supporters turned their weapons against Ansarullah movement.
Saleh has voiced his readiness to hold talks with the Saudi-led leaders to reach a compromise.
Meantime, Ansarullah leader Abdul-Malek al-Houthi accused Saleh of "betrayal," vowing to keep fighting against the Saudi-led coalition.
The coalition later welcomed Saleh's new stance and offered to provide support to fight the Ansarullah fighters, according to Al-Arabiya.
Meantime, the Arabic-language al-Arabiya TV claimed that the fire broke out in the Iranian embassy after a rocket hit the embassy building.
Yemeni President Hadi Reportedly Orders Forces to Retake Capital of Sanaa
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201712041059671348-yemen-president-sanaa-retake/
Yemeni President Mansour Hadi has allegedly ordered forces to retake the country's capital of Sanaa, AFP news agency reported Monday, citing a presidential source. However, no official confirmation hasn't been issued yet.
The announcement comes after Yemeni Prime Minister Ahmed bin Daghr said earlier this day that the government had proposed to offer an amnesty for those, who cut ties with the Houthi rebels.
Clashes between the former allies — the Houthis and supporters of former Yemeni president Ali Abdullah Saleh, have been ongoing in the southern districts of the Yemeni capital for several days after an alleged attempt by the rebels to seize the city's main mosque.
Yemeni Houthi Rebels Blow Up Ex-President Saleh's House - Reports
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201712041059671461-yemen-houthis-saleh-house/
Houthis' forces' representative Yahya al Mehdi has told Sputnik Arabic that former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh had allegedly been killed, confirming Iranian media Alalam reports. The head of a department of the Yemeni army, which is in alliance with the Houthis, Yahya al Mahdi has also confirmed to Sputnik the death of Saleh.
According to Yahya al Mahdi, Saleh was allegedly killed several hours ago on the Sinhan-Maareb highway amid his secret movements through the country.
However, the claims have been denied by the Yemeni General People's Congress (Saleh's party) sources cited by Sky News Arabia.
The speculations of Saleh's death comes minutes after Reuters reported citing local residents that Houthi rebels had allegedly blown up the house of ex-President Saleh in Sanaa. However, no official confirmation of the information has followed so far.
While the current whereabouts of Saleh reportedly remain unknown, the alleged attack comes amid a six-day heavy fighting in the Yemeni capital between the forces loyal to the ex-president and the rebels.
Reports: Ali Abdullah Saleh Killed Escaping from Sana'a
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13960913001176
Reports by Iranian, Russian and Arab media said that Saleh was fleeing Sana'a on an armored vehicle when his vehicle was hit and destroyed.
Meantime, some other Arab media outlets claim that he has survived the attack.
There is yet no independent report on the fate of the former president.
