Houthis reject proposal from Arab nations to halt Red Sea attacks

The Ansar Allah movement (Houthis) in Yemen has rejected a proposal from Arab countries to stop attacks on Israel and ships in the Red Sea.

According to a report in The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), in private meetings, officials from Egypt, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia have repeatedly tried in recent months to persuade Houthi leaders to stop attacking Israel and ships in the Red Sea and to “return to being a relatively minor player” in regional conflicts.

However, people familiar with the meetings said the group has consistently refused.

April Longley Alley, a former United Nations diplomat who has been in contact with Houthi leaders, told the WSJ, “They truly believe in this jihad to drive Israel out of that land, and they will continue to apply pressure.”

In a speech in March, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi said, “If the Muslim world remains silent while Palestinians face the threat of annihilation, it will only embolden America and Israel to commit more atrocities.”

Al-Houthi declared that he would respect any ceasefire signed by his Palestinian allies, Hamas, but according to the WSJ, regardless of the outcome, “the Houthis are expected to continue their religious war against Israel and the US over time.”

In a new poll published last week by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research, support for the Houthis among Palestinians was much higher than support for other militia groups or governments in the region.

A young man who joined the group a few years ago told the WSJ, “We truly believe in Abdul-Malik. We are ready to carry out his orders because we believe they are the orders of God.”

The Ansar Allah member, who requested anonymity, also emphasized that he felt empowered by joining the group.