Keeping Yemen out of a broader Middle East conflict is our key goal, US special envoy Tim Lenderking tells Arab News

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Updated 28 September 2024
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Keeping Yemen out of a broader Middle East conflict is our key goal, US special envoy Tim Lenderking tells Arab News

Keeping Yemen out of a broader Middle East conflict is our key goal, US special envoy Tim Lenderking tells Arab News
  • Special envoy says Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping are not helping the Palestinians, aid efforts, or regional economies
  • Speaking during the UN General Assembly, Lenderking says the US would like to see Iran play a constructive role on Yemen

NEW YORK CITY: The world cannot lose sight of Yemen as the country’s long-running peace process risks becoming collateral damage to a regional conflict, the US special envoy for Yemen has told Arab News.

Tim Lenderking is in New York City against the backdrop of the UN General Assembly to help rally international support for a solution to Yemen’s decade-long civil war.

A truce negotiated in April 2022 between warring parties in Yemen initially led to a fall in violence and a slight easing of the dire humanitarian situation. However, events elsewhere in the Middle East risk derailing this progress.

“I do feel very strongly that a lot of progress was made in ways that meant something to the Yemeni people,” Lenderking said. “Commercial flights are still operating out of Sanaa airport for the first time since 2016. There’s so much we could do to build on this progress.

“There was a big prisoner release a year ago. We want to keep the dialogue going, to release the remaining prisoners from the Yemen conflict — they are missed by their loved ones, by their families.”




CaptionYemen’s President Rashad Mohammed Al-Alimi speaks during the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York City on September 26, 2024. (AFP)

Lenderking said US officials were currently exploring opportunities for renewed progress on the Yemen peace track. They are engaged in a “broad conversation” with Yemeni leaders in New York City, including President Rashad Al-Alimi, as well as his vice presidents and foreign minister.

“We’ve had several meetings with him already,” said Lenderking, describing the Yemeni delegation as “strong.”

He added: “We just finished a meeting with nine countries that came to show their respect for the Yemeni government, to pledge their support and to encourage the Yemeni government to remain united, effective, visible, reaching out to the Yemeni people demonstrating that the government is there, is functioning well, and is trying to meet the needs of the people.”  

Since the war began in Gaza last October, Yemen’s Houthi militia — which controls vast swaths of territory in the country including the capital, Sanaa — declared a blockade of all Israel-linked ships crossing the Red Sea.




Houthi fighters protest in Sanaa on January 12, 2024 following US and British forces strikes in a bid to stop the militia's drone and missile attacks against commercial shipping on the Red Sea. (AFP)

The Iran-backed armed political and religious group views itself as a part of the Iranian-led “Axis of Resistance” against Israel, the US and the West.

It has threatened to continue its attacks on vessels until Israel ends its assault on Gaza. Since January, the UK and the US, in coalition with five other countries, have responded with retaliatory strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen.

The Oct. 7 Hamas-led attack on southern Israel and subsequent war in Gaza has had significant knock-on effects on Yemen, a country already reeling from nine years of war.

Publicized as a stand of defiance against Israel and a demonstration of solidarity with the Palestinian people, hundreds of attacks by the Houthis on commercial and military vessels in the strategic waterway have caused significant disruption to global trade.

Two vessels have been sunk.




This picture taken on March 7, 2024 shows the Rubymar cargo ship partly submerged off the coast of Yemen after it was hit by a Houthi missile. (AFP/File)

Lenderking, however, believes the Houthi campaign is a “self-serving agenda” that is failing to help Gaza.

“The attacks on Red Sea shipping are actually hampering commercial goods and humanitarian supplies getting into Yemen, and they’re hurting regional economies,” he said. “So, we want to look at ways that we can de-escalate — that has been our central mission ever since Gaza.

“And it’s also to keep Yemen away from these broader regional conflicts that it could be dragged into. That would be very damaging for the hopes that we have for Yemen.”

The UN’s Yemen envoy, Hans Grundberg, told the Security Council earlier this month that the war in Gaza, and the regional escalation associated with it, is complicating his diplomatic efforts to move the peace process forward.




Explosion rocks the Chios Lion, a Liberia-flagged crude oil tanker, after it was hit by unmanned surface vessels in the Red Sea on July 15, 2024. (Ansarullah Media Center handout photo/Via AFP)

Lenderking conceded that separating the two conflicts was “very difficult.”

“But we have sought to do that, and we’ve put ideas on the table and made suggestions,” he said.

Part of that diplomatic push involved Saudi Arabia and Oman, who “have such a strong stake in the outcome of the conflict.”

“Those two countries want peace … and the Yemeni people, above all, I think they deserve peace after many years of bloodshed and destruction,” he said.

“So, there is a moment, still, where we can try to harness the goodwill, the energy of the international community, to support a peace effort in Yemen.”




Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman meeting with a Houthi delegation in Riyadh on Sept. 19, 2023. (SPA/File)

Aidarus Al-Zubaidi, leader of the Southern Transitional Council, a faction in the civil war opposed to the Houthis, warned this week that US and UK airstrikes on Yemen were causing a spike in popularity for the militia.

But Lenderking described any support for the Houthis as “fundamentally misguided.”

“If you look at their actual engagements and attacks, these are harmful to the Yemeni people, and they don’t help the Palestinian people,” he said.

“And that is the reality, and I think every country around the region knows that and sees the Houthi attacks as a self-serving agenda.

“So, we need to hear more voices from the region saying: ‘Wait a minute, what are the Houthis doing? Is it helping Yemen or is it hurting the prospects for more humanitarian assistance, and aid and development?’.”

The humanitarian situation in Yemen has also become markedly worse in recent months amid rising food insecurity, the spread of cholera and major flooding in sections of the country.




Displaced Yemenis affected by floods receive humanitarian aid in the Hays region on September 9, 2024. (AFP)

Efforts by the UN and its partners to respond to these crises have faced challenges stemming from a lack of funding and a shrinking humanitarian operating space.

In June, the Houthis detained 13 Yemeni national staff employed by UN agencies and more than 50 NGO and civil society organization employees who remain under detention.

Lenderking warned against “complicating the work of humanitarian people who are there to support the Yemeni people.”

At the UN General Assembly, Lenderking is also “trying to harness more international support for Yemen” from donors, who, he conceded, were facing “huge challenges and pressures from the terrible humanitarian situation in Gaza and Ukraine.”

“I feel that there’s much more that could be done,” he added.

“How do we keep Yemen in the focus and bringing resources to Yemen, bringing support to the Yemeni government, and having the tremendous energy that comes from the international community supporting this conflict? That’s what we’re trying to maintain and even build on.”  




A handout picture released by the Houthi-affiliated branch of the Yemeni News Agency SABA on April 9, 2023, shows the militia's political leader Mahdi al-Mashat (C) meeting with delegations from Saudi Arabia and Oman in Sanaa. (SABA/AFP)

Iran’s sponsorship of the Houthis is causing headaches for those supporting the peace track.

Tehran publicly welcomed the truce in Yemen two years ago, but nonetheless continued the fueling and arming of the Houthis in violation of UN Security Council resolutions, said Lenderking.

Iran’s new president, Masoud Pezeshkian, signaled to world leaders on Tuesday that he wanted to open a “constructive” chapter in his country’s foreign policy.

“I aim to lay a strong foundation for my country’s entry into a new era, positioning it to play an effective and constructive role in the evolving global order,” said Pezeshkian.

But Lenderking has questions over the change in tone.

“I think people are looking forward to hearing what the Iranian leadership has to say about the state of tension in the region, and whether they are bringing anything new that can be constructive,” he said.




UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (right) welcomes Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian ahead of their meeting at UN headquarters in New York on September 24, 2024. (Iranian Presidency handout photo/AFP) 

“We’re hearing some flowery words and some nice words, but what are the Iranians actually committed to doing to de-escalate? Because I think that is the goal that we seek, and certainly in the case of Yemen, we’d like to see Iran play a constructive role. Let’s bring the temperature down and find a way to get back to a sustainable peace track in Yemen.”  

Lenderking’s focus during the UN General Assembly has been to bring Yemen back into focus among policymakers and donors.

“There are some conflicts that are absolutely raging. We look at what’s happening in Gaza, and we look at problems and challenges in Sudan and elsewhere. Ukraine, of course.

“We’re here, my team, with regional support, to use this incredible platform here to remind people Yemen is a beautiful and rich country that wants to return to its position as a stable country and a stable neighbor.

“We can get there with strong support, and so reminding the international community of the importance of Yemen and not having Yemen dragged into a broader regional conflict is our key goal here.”




Al-Khuraybah, a town in Wadi Dawan region in Yemen's Hadhramaut governorate, is one of Yemen's treasures that have thankfully be spared by war. US special envoy Tim Lenderking says Yemen is a beautiful and rich country and the world ought to help return it to its position as a stable country and a stable neighbor. (Shutterstock photo)

What is at stake in Yemen was driven home this week at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, where an exhibition was held for 14 Yemeni sculptures that were recently repatriated from a private donor in New Zealand.

Lenderking, who described the artworks as “incredible,” said the exhibition “symbolizes the unity of Yemen’s cultural heritage.”

He added: “Any Yemeni party could agree this is a country with cultural depth that has a beautiful legacy and incredible history and has been influential in the region in a very positive way.

“And wouldn’t it be great if we could work together so that Yemen can play that historical role and move out of the fires of war?”
 

 


365 Palestinians arrested by Israeli forces in West Bank refugee camps since mid-January

365 Palestinians arrested by Israeli forces in West Bank refugee camps since mid-January
Updated 24 February 2025
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365 Palestinians arrested by Israeli forces in West Bank refugee camps since mid-January

365 Palestinians arrested by Israeli forces in West Bank refugee camps since mid-January
  • Some detainees subjected to threats, beatings, investigations
  • Rights group says homes in Jenin, Tulkarem turned into military positions

LONDON: Israeli forces have detained 365 Palestinians in the occupied northern West Bank cities of Jenin and Tulkarem since mid-January, according to a rights group affiliated with the Palestinian Authority.

The Palestinian Prisoners Society documented the arrest of 365 people following the Israeli launch of a military campaign in Jenin on Jan. 21, just days after a ceasefire and captives-exchange deal was reached with Hamas in Gaza.

The group said that during 35 days of Israeli operations in the Jenin refugee camp, at least 200 individuals were detained, while in Tulkarem, 165 people were arrested, including children, women and the elderly.

Israeli forces deployed tanks this week to the Jenin refugee camp after displacing nearly 20,000 people, along with another 20,000 Palestinians from Tulkarem and Nur Shams refugee camps, and said it planned to keep forces in these areas “for many months.”

The PPS said Israeli forces had turned Palestinian homes in Jenin and Tulkarem into military positions, deployed snipers on the rooftops of buildings and used bulldozers to destroy roads and infrastructure.

Some of those detained were subject to threats, beatings and field investigations, it said.

Since late 2023, nearly 900 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank by Israeli forces and settlers, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. At least 32 Israelis have died from Palestinian attacks or Israeli military operations during the same period, according to official figures.


Red Cross says ‘deeply concerned’ with impact of Israeli operation in West Bank

Israeli tanks are deployed during an ongoing army operation in the West Bank Jenin refugee camp, Monday, Feb. 24, 2025. (AP)
Israeli tanks are deployed during an ongoing army operation in the West Bank Jenin refugee camp, Monday, Feb. 24, 2025. (AP)
Updated 24 February 2025
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Red Cross says ‘deeply concerned’ with impact of Israeli operation in West Bank

Israeli tanks are deployed during an ongoing army operation in the West Bank Jenin refugee camp, Monday, Feb. 24, 2025. (AP)

JERUSALEM: The International Committee of the Red Cross expressed on Monday its concern over the impact of a weeks-long Israeli offensive in the occupied West Bank that has displaced tens of thousands of Palestinians.
“The International Committee of the Red Cross is deeply concerned with the impact of ongoing security operations on the civilian population in Jenin and Tulkarem, Tubas and other locations in northern West Bank,” it said in a statement, adding that “people are struggling to access basic needs such as clean water, food, medical care and shelter.”


Bahraini military commander-in-chief reviews defense ties with UK ambassador

Bahraini military commander-in-chief reviews defense ties with UK ambassador
Updated 24 February 2025
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Bahraini military commander-in-chief reviews defense ties with UK ambassador

Bahraini military commander-in-chief reviews defense ties with UK ambassador
  • Field Marshal Khalifa highlights historic relationship between the kingdoms
  • Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Theyab bin Saqr Al-Nuaimi attended the meeting

LONDON: Field Marshal Sheikh Khalifa bin Ahmed Al-Khalifa, commander-in-chief of the Bahrain Defence Force, reviewed historical and defense ties with Alastair Long, the UK ambassador to Manama.

Several senior military officials from Bahrain attended the meeting, including Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Theyab bin Saqr Al-Nuaimi and Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al-Khalifa, an adviser for financial and technical affairs at General Command.

Khalifa highlighted the historic relationship between Bahrain and the UK during his meeting with Long, and outlined developments in various sectors, according to the Bahrain News Agency.


Morocco foils attacks by cell loyal to Daesh

Morocco’s counterterrorism agency said on Monday it had foiled attacks against targets in the country by a cell loyal to Daesh.
Morocco’s counterterrorism agency said on Monday it had foiled attacks against targets in the country by a cell loyal to Daesh.
Updated 24 February 2025
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Morocco foils attacks by cell loyal to Daesh

Morocco’s counterterrorism agency said on Monday it had foiled attacks against targets in the country by a cell loyal to Daesh.
  • Suspects, arrested in nine cities, had been receiving orders from a Libyan leader of Daesh, the head of Morocco’s Central Bureau of Judicial Investigations said

RABAT: Morocco’s counterterrorism agency said on Monday it had foiled attacks against national and international targets in the country by a 12-member cell loyal to Daesh in the Sahel.
The operation underscores the threat emanating from extremist militancy in the Sahel, as groups linked to Daesh and Al-Qaeda expand activity in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.
The suspects, arrested in nine different cities, had been receiving orders from a Libyan leader of Daesh, the head of Morocco’s Central Bureau of Judicial Investigations, Habboub Cherkaoui, told reporters.
The suspects, aged 18 to 40, have been radicalized online, Cherkaoui said, adding that most of them had “occasional jobs.”
The group, which branded itself “the Lions of the Caliphate in the Maghreb Al Aqsa (Morocco),” was planning remotely controlled bomb attacks, he said.
Explosive devices and chemical substances were found during the operation, in addition to a weapons cache including automatic firearms and handguns, in the south-eastern region of Errachidia near the Algerian borders, Cherkaoui said.
The seized weapons and ammunition had been supplied by the Daesh leader via smugglers, he said. The operation “confirms that the African branches of IS tend to internationalize their activities,” Cherkaoui said, adding that the nexus between “terrorist groups and criminal networks is a real threat” to Morocco and Europe.

In recent years, Daesh branches in Africa have recruited more than 130 Moroccan fighters, Cherkaoui said. Since its establishment in 2015, the Central Bureau of Judicial Investigations has dismantled dozens of militant cells and arrested more than 1,000 suspected extremists.
The last extremist attack in the country was in 2023, when three individuals loyal to Daesh killed a Moroccan policeman in Casablanca.


Egyptian military delegation visits Oman’s top military training college

Egyptian military delegation visits Oman’s top military training college
Updated 24 February 2025
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Egyptian military delegation visits Oman’s top military training college

Egyptian military delegation visits Oman’s top military training college
  • Delegation attended a presentation about Joint Command and Staff College and its curricula

LONDON: An Egyptian military delegation visited the Joint Command and Staff College in Muscat on Monday, reinforcing the strong ties between Oman and Egypt.

The delegation from Egypt’s Military Academy for Postgraduate and Strategic Studies was received by Omani Brig. Saif Hamad Al-Yousefi, commandant of the Joint Command and Staff College, the leading organization responsible for training personnel from the Ministry of Defense and the Armed Forces in Oman.

The delegation attended a presentation about the college, its curricula, and its educational training programs. Additionally, they toured the college’s facilities and departments, the Oman News Agency reported.

The college has previously hosted military delegations, including those from the Royal Jordanian Command and Staff College and Saudi Arabia’s Command and Staff College of the National Defense University.