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US Plan to Blacklist Yemen's Houthis Could Spark Humanitarian Crisis,
Observers Say

Nisan Ahmado

   A looming U.S. government plan to list Yemen's pro-Iran Houthi militia
   as a terrorist organization has sparked concern among observers and aid
   agencies about its impact on peace talks and the process of delivering
   aid to desperate civilians living under the group's control in the
   country's northern highlands.

   Saudi Arabia and the and United Arab Emirates blacklisted the insurgent
   group in 2014, and the U.S. has considered taking similar action since
   2018.

   [1]Foreign Policy magazine reported last weekthat it had learned from
   unnamed U.S. officials that the U.S. State Department was preparing to
   make the designation as a part of the Trump administration's policy of
   "maximum pressure" on Iran. The announcement is expected to take place
   in December, according to [2]The Washington Post.

   Gerald Feierstein, a former U.S. ambassador to Yemen and senior vice
   president at the Middle East Institute (MEI), told VOA that the terror
   labeling would make it more difficult for the U.N. to push for a
   peaceful resolution of war between the rebels and the Saudi-backed
   government.

   "Houthis are already sanctioned by the United Nations, there is an arms
   embargo and there is no legitimate arms trade for the Houthis. So this
   will not have any effect on their position on the ground," Feierstein
   said.

   Such a move, he added, "will be seen as a political gesture, not as a
   gesture that is aimed at strengthening our counterterrorism strategies
   or identifying terrorist organizations."

   U.N. Special Envoy for Yemen Martin Griffith has been mediating peace
   talks between the warring parties for almost two years. While the
   efforts have resulted in a few cease-fire announcements and deals, a
   nationwide peace settlement remains absent.

   Washington in the past has accused the Houthis of implementing Iran's
   expansive ambitions in the region and failing to cooperate in the peace
   efforts. The designation, under the State Department guidelines, is
   intended to deter donations to and economic transactions with the
   group. It also will ban any form of material support or resources to
   the entity.

References

   1. https://bit.ly/3q97Ybg
   2. https://wapo.st/33qFYGv

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