Saudi Ambassador Accuses Houthis of Obstructing Peace Efforts in Yemen
The Saudi Ambassador to Yemen, Mohammed Al Jaber, accused the Houthi group of exploiting economic and humanitarian crises to fund its military activities and obstruct peace efforts, pointing to revenues he said include customs duties on fuel and telecommunications sector income.
Al Jaber stated, in a post on the 'X' platform, that the group rejected initiatives for flights between Sana'a and Amman. He also accused them of seizing four Yemenia Airways aircraft in June 2024, considering these actions to have disrupted the airport and exacerbated the suffering of the population.
He added that the ports of Hodeidah receive shipments of food, medicine, fuel, and commercial goods, accusing the Houthis of diverting revenues from customs, taxes, telecommunications, and other resources to fund their military activities instead of fulfilling their obligations towards public services and employee salaries in the areas under their control.
The Saudi Ambassador cited a report by the UN Panel of Experts, which he said documented the group collecting about 994 billion riyals in customs duties on fuel imported through the ports of Hodeidah between April 2022 and June 2024, and estimated its revenue from this sector at about 1.34 trillion riyals.
Regarding the city of Taiz, Al Jaber accused the Houthis of continuing to block roads and obstruct civilian access to food and medicine, considering that this increases the suffering of the population and undermines the chances of reaching a political settlement.
The ambassador affirmed the Kingdom's continued support for the Yemeni government, stating that Riyadh will continue to work to protect its security, territory, and ships, and to support efforts to achieve security and stability in Yemen.
Source: X Platform
