Saudi foreign minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan has made a wide-ranging peace offer to end the Yemen war now going on for six years. He said his country ‘wants the guns to fall completely silent’ and invited the Houthis to join political dialogue under UN supervision to end the war. This is a bold step we would say to end the war as he has offered to lift air and sea blockade to open the supply route to the starving Yemini Houthi population.
We believe the first condition for Houthis to join peace talks has been fulfilled. Not only the Saudis offered to lift the blockade but as per Houthis demand that they must lift blockade first before joining the talks has also been mostly fulfilled this week-end.
One report said the first cargo ship has docked at Hodaidahsea port Friday to deliver food and fuel not allowed under severe blockade throughout 2020. The beleaguered Houthis mostly have no shelters and the entire population is suffering from hunger, malnutrition and diseases.
As per UN reports two-thirds Yeminis are in dire need for help. Almost half of Yemen’s children under age 5 are suffering from acute hunger and about half a million have already perished. The entire new generation is closer to extinction in a famine like situation.
One would wonder what led to change in Saudi outlook from war to peace. The Biden administration recently announced to stop military supply to Saudi Arabia accompanied by reversal of Houthis from the US list of terrorist outfits. As it appears the Iran backed Houthis now possess drones, missiles and such other destructive weapons and are hitting sensitive Saudi targets almost daily including military bases, civilian airports and oil fields. The Saudi-led coalition is failing to hold grounds in the battle fields, only a major base inside Yemen is in their hand which may also fall any time. Many believe the unfolding situation may have caused the shift in Saudi thinking. After all, war does not bring peace. Besides, to see Muslim countries fighting among themselves inflicting self-destruction on themselves is a shame for Muslims everywhere.
