Sana’a, Yemen – The recent visit by a Saudi delegation to Yemen’s capital Sana’a for talks has been a significant breakthrough, which offers a glimmer of hope to end the years long conflict. However, challenges are looming even though each party has grown tired of the war. For eight years now, the main warring parties haven’t been this close to resolving the lingering issues and ending the war. This comes after Saudi Arabia failed to meet its stated war goal: reinstalling its allied Yemeni government to power after being toppled by the Houthi movement in 2015.
Saudi Arabia still controls many of the territories to the south of Yemen through its Yemeni partners, where Yemen’s oil and gas resources are. The Houthis control the northwestern part that lacks resources yet hosts two-thirds of Yemen’s 31 million population.
The war has become costly for everyone. Saudi Arabia has faced the threat of cross-border missile and drone attacks that have targeted key oil facilities. The Houthis have been struggling with mounting discontent among the population for the lack of services and food security coupled with a tightened blockade on ports and airports, which Saudi Arabia imposed.
While the Houthis, who have the upper hand in the Sana’a-based coalition government, want peace now more than ever before, their saber-rattling has likely triggered a response from the Saudis, which would derail if not miss the rare opportunity for peace. Thanks to Oman’s facilitated back-channel talks between both parties, the Saudis agreed to visit Sana’a and talk to the government about venues to end the war, a rare move Sana’a viewed as a goodwill gesture. Since the Saudi delegation arrived in Sana’a on April 8, a host of Houthi-affiliated media outlets and officials have taken to social media to describe the Saudi’s visit as a defeat. On the same day of the visit, Almasirah tv, the Houthi’s mouthpiece, stated in its main news program that the right road to Yemen is peace. “Otherwise,” the tv presenter said, “it’s a loss and destruction. And the wise man is the one who learns from others.” If anything, that statement has completely sent the wrong message to the Saudis: you got to make peace with us, otherwise, we’ll force you into it. Yes, Saudi Arabia may badly want peace and an end to the threats from its southern neighbor to focus on its ambitious economic plans. Yet, it can easily take offense at the slightest hint that it has been forced to make peace. With unwavering support from the US, Riyadh can continue this war forever, even if the threat of cross-border attacks against its economic facilities continues.
The main points the Saudi and Yemeni officials discussed were a six-month truce, a complete lifting of the blockade, and reconstruction efforts, among other war-related issues. That is what Sana’a has constantly asked for and Riyadh has ignored. Now that it’s become attainable, Sana’a is gambling with this rare opportunity to achieve some hollow victory. According to some media reports and implications from Houthi-affiliated media outlets, the main thorny issue at the discussion in Sana’a was identifying Saudi Arabia’s role in this conflict. Riyadh wants to be viewed as a deal broker, presumably facilitating dialogue between the Houthi-led government and its rival opponent. Sana’a wants it to be viewed as a party to the war and acknowledge its wrongdoing. One day into the Saudi delegation’s visit, Almasirah once again said in its main newscast that ending the war, reparation, and reconstruction are rights that Yemenis “would take through whatever means,” meaning forcing the Saudis to peace by hook or by crook. It said that Saudi Arabia is wasting time trying to portray itself as a mediator. “Time appears so sensitive, and there are no more chances [for Saudi Arabia to make peace]. What appears available today won’t be so tomorrow,” the presenter added.
That, once again, was not a good way to utilize diplomacy. Making those antagonizing statements public isn’t a good way to resolve differences. And it has triggered a response from the Saudis. The Saudi delegation’s chief, Riyadh’s envoy to Yemen, tweeted on April 10 that his visit came to “explore venues of dialogue between Yemeni components to reach a sustainable, comprehensive political solution in Yemen.” It seems that Saudi is unwilling to accept being viewed as a party to the war, as Sana’a demands. While that can better be resolved in a closed-door setting, Sana’a fiery statements have made things worse. The Saudi delegation left on April 13 with apparently little progress. Sana’a said another round of talks would take place after Eid al-Fitr.
Mahdi al-Mashat, President of the Supreme Political Council, the highest executive authority, briefed top government officials on April 16 on the talk with the Saudis, echoing the same rhetoric that could achieve nothing but anger the touchy monarchs. Al-Mashat stressed that Yemen “has the upper hand should the coalition aggression [Saudis and their allies] resumes military actions or derails peace efforts.” He added that the Yemeni people would get their rights either through peaceful means or “through the battlefield that has proved that Yemen is capable of confrontation and victory.”
There’s cautious optimism about an end to Yemen’s years long war. While Saudi Arabia is the main aggressor, Sana’a also bears responsibility for trying to end this war through peaceful means rather than bellicose rhetoric. The mass public support Sana’a has relied on throughout this conflict won’t last long. With this rare opportunity for peace coupled with Saudi Arabia’s willingness to end it, the ball is now in the Houthi’s court. Yemenis have had enough and won’t tolerate missing this opportunity.
Ahmad Algohbary
Ahmad is a Yemeni freelance journalist based in the Netherlands.He is also the founder of Hope Relief Charity.
