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Thread on highlights from #Houthi/#AnsarAllah leader Abdulmalik’s first interview with Al Masirah (@almasirah), the Houthis' TV channel. (Context in parentheses). Thread ≠ endorsement. EN translation linked below (but not great). #Yemen english.almasirah.net/details.php?es…
1/ Some terminology context: (a) the #Houthis call themselves AnsarAllah (AA). To them, “the Houthis” are merely the family with the last name “Houthi” to which Abdulmalik Al Houthi (AMH) belongs; (b) the Houthis call the #Saudi-led coalition “the aggression.” #Yemen
2/ #US/#Israel Conspiracy: AMH blames the “heavy losses and major events” in the region squarely on the US/Israel. Says there is a “defined policy… to target free people… that oppose US and Zionist hegemony” across the region. #Yemen
3/ #KSA & #UAE as Proxies of #US/#Israel: AMH argues that #Yemen President Hadi reports to the Emiratis who report to the Saudis, US, or British. There are multiple references to the Saudis/Emiratis doing the US/Israel’s bidding.
4/ Colonialism: When asked about the role of Martin Griffiths (a Brit) and the role of the British, AMH says the British and Americans have a colonial “orientation.” #Yemen
5/ Occupation: AMH sees the entire war as a bid for #Saudi/#Emirati (and by extension, #US/#Israel) occupation of #Yemen. “They want to control this country,” he says, and add Yemen to the list of countries with “absolute dependence” on the US and normalization with Israel.
6/ Surrender: AMH says this would lead to the loss of #Yemen to #Saudi Arabia, which seeks to occupy it. In his view, the only thing standing between the Yemeni people and a Saudi takeover of Yemen is #AnsarAllah and its Yemeni allies.
7/ Definition of Winning: AMH suggests “winning” is defined by the #Houthis’ “steadfastness” over such a long period of time against a much bigger / more powerful enemy (the coalition). #Yemen
8/ Survivalist and Siege Mentality: The #Houthis expect to be under constant siege and see their life’s work as sacrificing to endure it. #Yemen
9/ Saudi as Aggressor: AMH argues #Saudi wants #Yemen “weak and divided” and submissive. Says “Saudi has to reconsider the nature of its relationship with [Yemen].” Calls for a good neighbor policy and mutual respect.
10/ Why Participate in Negotiations?: AMH says the #Houthis’ participation in negotiations “refutes the enemy’s claims that it [must] continue the aggression.” #Yemen
11/ Pre-War Resolution Claim: AMH repeats a point that the Houthis regularly cite that the “internal problem” between Yemenis was about to be resolved before “the aggression” launched the war in #Yemen in 2015. (This assertion harks back to this article: wsj.com/articles/forme…)
12/ Delay in #Hudayda #Yemen: AMH claims that the #Houthis offered to begin the first phase as a unilateral withdrawal (true) but the UN asked them to delay (apparently true) because it [the UN] feared being "embarrassed by the delay of the other party” (Houthi conjecture)
13/ Prisoner Releases: AMH claims that the #Houthis are ready, but the Hadi side “does not care about this file” and reneges on signed agreements on this issue. #Yemen (Prisoner release talks were part of the Stockholm agreements. The releases are delayed for unknown reasons.)
14/ #Houthi Governance: AMH explains the governance phases in #Sanaa since 2015 - Phase 1 was to preserve the state institutions from collapse. Phase 2 was to re-activate them. Phase 3 now is to implement the National Vision, which was recently released. iscyemen.org/president-al-m…
15/ #Houthi View of #Humanitarian Orgs: AMH says, “Many orgs did not come [to Yemen] with good intentions to do charity work.” He says nothing positive about humanitarian orgs in #Yemen and does not clarify further.
16/ #US Support to Coalition: AMH says, “without this role, the aggression would have stopped.” (Many Yemenis mis-read the Trump veto as him vetoing the end of the war. Some Houthis think veto proves the conspiracy theory that the US is behind the war after all.) #Yemen
17/ Weapons: AMH says the #Saudis are reliant on the #US for weapons, but the #Houthis make their own. (The Houthis have weapons from the Yemeni pre-war stockpiles + some indigenous or copy-cat capabilities. #Iran supplies them with some advanced weapons + training/capabilities.)
18/ Relations with #Hizbullah and #Iran: AMH defines an Islamic-focused “vision” opposed to #US hegemony and #Israel normalization… they share this vision, he says, with #Hizbullah, #Palestine, Iran, and the #Iraqi people. He thanks Iran toward the end of the interview. #Yemen
19/ Relations with #Oman: AMH basically says they’re cool BUT that the #Houthis oppose Omani attempts at #Israel normalization. (Very muted comments on #Oman, even though Oman has allowed Houthi negotiators residence during the war).
20/ The Northern Border: AMH claims the #Houthis were successful, which led to the #Saudi army “collapse” at the border. Claims KSA soldiers are “not convinced of this aggression.” Mentions Syrian and Sudanese mercenaries at border fighting for Saudis (Syrian? Huh? Odd reference)
21/ The South: AMH argues that there is a “growing awareness" in the south of the “occupation.” Says the “masses of people” want unity (not true). (The Houthis have long spoken of solidarity with the south - a feeling many southerners do not share after Houthis 'invaded' #Aden)
22/ Topics not mentioned or only in passing: (a) #Palestine. The #Houthis talk about Palestine all the time, and AMH makes it a central part of every speech. In this interview, he speaks at length about the US/#Israel “conspiracy” but only mentions Palestine in passing.
23/ (b) AMH mentions the allegations of torture in #UAE prisons in #Yemen but is not asked & does not mention the Houthis' prisons and torture allegations nor the detentions of journalists (nor any other allegations against the group - he is on his own TV channel after all).
24/ (c) AMH makes no real mention of #Taiz, Dhale, or other “fronts”… also (d) no mention of Islah or other political parties in #Yemen. (e) Nor on peace talks (outside #Hudayda) nor on a political solution.
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