European Parliament urges EU to designate Houthis as terrorists — The National

The European Parliament has adopted a resolution calling on the Council of the EU to add Yemen’s Houthi movement to the list of terrorist organizations. The initiative concerns the movement, its military and political wings, leadership, as well as military and security structures, The National reports.

Call for sanctions

Members of the European Parliament condemned Houthi missile and drone attacks against Saudi Arabia, as well as their military offensive in Yemen. In the European Parliament’s statement, these actions were described as a flagrant violation of international and international humanitarian law. The lawmakers stressed that many Yemeni civilians had been killed or displaced, while the humanitarian crisis in the country had worsened.

The lead negotiator on the resolution, Hana Jalloul, expressed solidarity with the people of Yemen and the Gulf countries that had been subjected to attacks. She also called for broader sanctions, the inclusion of the Houthis on the EU terrorist list, and political and financial support for those affected by the movement’s actions.

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The decision depends on EU states

EU sanctions, including asset freezes and entry bans, require approval by the Council of the EU, which includes representatives of the 27 member states. EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas said that support from all 27 countries of the bloc is needed to designate the Houthis as a terrorist organization.

According to Kallas, the Houthis are financed, armed and trained by Iran. She also said that Houthi attacks led to the postponement of a summit of EU leaders and the Gulf Cooperation Council planned in Riyadh. Kallas noted that about one-fifth of EU trade passes through the Red Sea and that the region’s security is a key interest for the bloc.

The European Parliament also condemned Iran’s support for the Houthis and called for the disarmament of all Tehran-backed groups in the Middle East, including Lebanon’s Hezbollah.