An American expert for "NewsYemen": The Islah defines the Houthis as a partner and its control of the government must be curbed
English - Tuesday 28 July 2020 الساعة 06:46 pm
Aden, Newsyemen, private:
The American expert and researcher Irina Zuckerman, a human rights and national security lawyer specializing in Yemeni and Turkish affairs and radical groups, said that the Islah party, the local branch of the Muslim Brotherhood, was split between support for the Turkey-Qatar axis and support for the Saudi-led coalition, which would disperse united efforts against the Houthis.
"Zuckerman" said in an exclusive interview with "NewsYemen" that "reform is always and never closer ideologically to Turkey and Qatar, considering that" the only reason they sat at the table with Saudi Arabia was because their numbers were sufficient so that they could provide a necessary bulwark against the Houthis. She stated that many things that changed the calculus occurred in Yemen, including the Houthis expanding their reach in more than one way beyond their place at the beginning of the war, and also Turkey and Qatar became more involved in these efforts, as well as the weakness of the Arab coalition due to a combination of internal conflict and political pressure From the United Nations and disinformation campaigns in the Western media and the forces of Iran and Turkey / Qatar against them in Yemen like other parts of the region, which is much worse than when Iran was the only major actor in the scene.
She stated that the Islah party no longer feels threatened by the Houthis, but rather is increasingly seen as a potential partner, because of the common interest.
She stressed that all Islamists who ascended to power are a corrupt, weak and ineffective model of their rule and serve themselves and their agendas, but in this process they make great promises and make the population prepare against each other as a scapegoat to serve external powers.
The American expert said, "The Islah party is looking to expand its control and practice to exclude everyone by inciting conflict between other Yemenis, and in the end reaching some arrangements for governance and coordination over the division of lands with the Houthis."
"Zuckerman" stressed the need for the Saudis to be able to rein in the leaders residing in the Kingdom (the leaders of the Yemeni Brotherhood) and push them to reverse their course and focus on the Houthis.
She also noted that they (the Saudis) should focus on uniting all other Yemenis - including the Southern Transitional Council, the National Resistance, and other alliances, bringing them together, and dealing with reform as part of a problem. While at first it was possible for them to make these arrangements with reform out of necessity, the reform set itself in a way that alienated other potential supporters more committed to fighting the Houthis.
"If the main goal is to fight the Houthis, and if Islah is no longer part of this solution, then it is necessary to stand against it, not only politically but ideologically, and resources must be invested to counter its influence."
"If Islah sees itself as growing, prevailing and multiplying, then it can feel that it controls the coalition, that the Saudis depend on them more than the Hadi government or others, and that they are real power brokers, and that they can dictate the conditions for future developments that cannot be allowed to happen." .
The American expert, "Zuckerman" concluded her speech to "NewsYemen" by saying, "Their influence (the Brotherhood) should be minimized to the extent that they can either control and use them according to the plan, or it becomes completely unnecessary. They should not be allowed to divide the Arab coalition or any force." Yemeni anti-Houthis in any way. "
