With the new Yemeni Accord, Khashoggi’s bloodshed is changing the Middle East eternally
In the aftermath of Jamal Khashoggi’s murder, the Senate, on Thursday, passed 56 to 41 eminent resolution to curb U.S. support for the Saudi-led war in Yemen. The bill was a bipartisan rebuke of the government, depositing the battlefield for a feasible face-off in January between Congress and President Trump.
Defying Trump, the Senate also unanimously adopted a separate resolution that holds Crown Prince, bin Salman, responsible for Khashoggi’s killing. The bill labels a thorny reprimand to Saudi’s Crown Prince and a bold scorn on Trump’s swear to stand by him despite the facts.
On the same day, U.N. sponsored Yemeni talks wrapped up in Stockholm as a “triumph in itself”. A breakthrough accord between the warring sides is the most “crucial first step” towards ending the country’s devastating conflict. U.N. and involved governments have consecrated the accord which represents the best opportunity in years to move towards a political solution. It offers a breach in tackling one of the most devastating humanitarian crises.
Soul of the slain Khashoggi was the center of deliberations in both the Congress and the Yemeni peace initiative. He was recognized, as the 2018 Person of the Year by Time magazine. It’s the first time, the magazine has attributed someone posthumously. While its editor in chief, Edward Felsenthal, portrayed in Khashoggi’s Person of the Year cover, it’s very exceptional that “a person’s influence grows so immensely in death”.
The dissect murder, on October 2, by a royal hit squadron inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul is trending as a global infuriation for over months. It has put the US-Saudi relationship under scrutiny, particularly after the CIA concluded that the Saudi’s de facto Crown Prince, bin Salman, ordered the assassination. This sinister crime has, as well, augmented the ranks of the Congress who are firmly insisting to revolutionize U.S. policy on the Middle East.
According to a recent YouGov poll, 89 percent of liberal Americans and 54 percent of conservatives expressed an opinion opposing continued arms sales to the Saudi-UAE alliance fighting in Yemen.
Though Washington has emerged deceitful in supporting peace efforts in Yemen, the Congress is squeezing for an end to U.S. involvement. Eventually, efforts by Trump to soothe aggravations by tolling an alarming bell for the U.S-Saudi strategic partnership has chopped down flat.
On 29 November, the Senate voted by a 63-37 margin to press forward a resolution to stop military support for the Saudi-led allies. That unprecedented bipartisan bill utilizes an authoritative but rarely triggered proviso in a 1973 War Powers Act that entitles Congress to overrule the president and withdraw unauthorized troops.
Saudi-led coalition instigated an intrusion in 2015 to forestall a rebel advance and reinstall Yemen recognized government. Consequently, it has launched over 18,000 air raids on Yemen and forced a raft of penal economic measures targeted at depressing the Houthis, believed to be supported by Iran.
This has worsened Yemen’s crises, which U.N has vilified as the “worst humanitarian crises” in hundred years. The war caused the death of 57,000 people. In addition, Save the Children’s ballpark shows 85,000 children died of hunger and preventable diseases. About 10,000 persons contract cholera weekly, with a total of 1.2 million cases, and more than 2,500 deaths, according to the WHO.
One million people are on the brink of starvation out of 22.2 million (75% of the population) that need humanitarian support, while 16 million people don’t have an access to safe water, according to UNHCR.
Amid this vista, Yemen’s people expose the U.S, U.K, Saudi-led allies and Iran, as manipulation to the death, famine and infections in their home.
Since the death of Khashoggi, the world has become conscious of the calamity befalling in Yemen. A number of European countries have pulled their support from the Saudi-led alliance. Moreover, the European Parliament has called for an EU-wide arms embargo on Saudi Arabia. And UK has introduced a draft UN Security Council resolution to address Yemen’s descending humanitarian spiral.
Khashoggi, a columnist for The Washington Post, didn’t succeed to alter his country through the ink of his pen. However, his bloodshed is perpetually changing the region. Already his soul has lengthily contributed to the just-signed Yemen agreement in Stockholm after it has catalyzed the mockery about the war. As a result, discussions in the international arena turned the tide.
Recent peace accord calls for an “immediate” ceasefire in Hodeida province and a withdrawal of troops from the contested port city – the main frontline and a crucial lifeline for humanitarian imports. The warring sides also agreed on a prisoner swap to include 15,000 people, opening of humanitarian corridors to rigorously besieged city of Taiz and re-opening of Airports as critical to relieving dismal humanitarian situation. The Houthis, in their part, agreed to relinquish control of Yemeni ports, allowing dreadfully needed international aide to flow.
Next week, it is due to adopt a U.N. resolution ratifying the outcome of the Sweden talks and authorizing the deployment of observers in Hodeida, according to diplomatic sources. Although Griffiths urged caution saying that there is a daunting task in front of the accord. The next round of talks is set for late January, according to U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
Finally, both the peace accord and the Senate bills are a huge victory for the miserable people of Yemen. A companion bill in the House of Representatives is strongly expected to pass on January. Whether Trump passes or vetoes on it, no longer can Yemen be considered a forgotten war under evil hands, and we hope for a track that will lead to its early resolution. Anyhow, the world is hopeful and supportive to end U.S./Saudi/Emirates complicity in Yemen horrific war.
In that milieu, we extol the idyllic unity displayed by the permanent Security Council in helping the Envoy for Yemen at a critical moment, while admitting that much remains unresolved to find a comprehensive solution to the conflict.
If people of Yemen are saved from U.S.-made bombs falling on them, the world has kept more children and women vanishing in the worst famine of our lifetimes. Further, we deem halting the bloodshed and continuing Yemeni-Yemeni talks as the final solution for the war.
Categorically, we have to ascribe another glory to the soul of Khashoggi. We trust a further dream of Khashoggi will pursue to come to end the Gulf blockade against Qatar and create resolutions for the Saudi injudicious disputes with Lebanon and Canada.
*** Hassan Horri is Director, Horn Institute for Democracy is a commentator on Middle East and Horn of African Affairs.
