By Avi Kaner
The beautiful city of Abu Dhabi is home to 1.5 million people, including many foreigners who have moved there for the vast opportunities. One year ago, the calm was shattered when weaponized drones, ballistic and cruise missiles were fired at the city by the Houthis terror group in Yemen. Foreign civilians were killed and others injured. The UAE’s air defense systems prevented a far greater loss of life, including protecting the many American civilians and service members living in Abu Dhabi.
It is time for the United States to redesignate the Iranian-regime backed Houthis as a terror group. President Biden praised the cooperation with the President of the Emirates, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, and described him as a friend , in his statement on the Anniversary of Terrorist Attack on the United Arab Emirates Biden saw that a strong partnership with the Emirates is necessary to build a common future in which peace, stability and greater integration prevail throughout the region.
On January 19, 2019, three years before the brazen attack on civilians in the UAE, the US outgoing administration designated the Houthis a Foreign Terror Organization. Just a month later, the incoming administration announced the terror designation had “been fully revoked.” The reversal led to immediate empowerment of both the Houthis terror group and its Iranian regime puppet masters, with attacks against civilian and infrastructure targets. The attacks included massive assaults on Saudi Arabia’s civilian, energy and water installations.
The Houthis terror group slogan reads “God is the greatest, Death to America, Death to Israel, Curse on the Jews, Victory to Islam.” Hundreds of thousands of people have lost their lives in Yemen due to Houthis attacks and the resulting humanitarian disaster. Thousands of Houthis child soldiers, stripped from their families, have lost their lives. Hospitals and schools have been attacked. Two million landmines have been planted by Houthis terrorists, wreaking loss of civilian lives and limbs.
The UAE and Saudi Arabia have led the efforts to provide humanitarian aid to the people of Yemen. These nations have provided billions of dollars in aid to the civilians in Yemen who are under assault by the Houthis terrorists. Saudi Arabia’s Masam demining project has cleared nearly 400,000 mines. This life-saving aid is at risk if the Houthis continue to operate freely without Foreign Terror Organization designation.
Without the designation, the Houthis continue to be funded and armed, resulting in countless loss of life. The United States can help defeat the heinous Houthis terror group by redesignating it a Foreign Terrorist Organization.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Avi Kaner is the Principal of Samawal Foundations. You can follow him on Twitter @AviKaner