Yemen refused rebels' call for cease-fire

By Nasser Arrabyee/01/09/2009


The Yemen Supreme Security Committee refused Tuesday a unilateral call for cease-fire by Al Houthi rebels.

The committee said the rebels must comply with the six terms it set at the beginning of the fighting three weeks ago, if they want a cease-fire.

"The rebels call has nothing new, the rebels must comply with the six conditions," said an official statement.

On Monday night, the spokesman of Al Houthi said in media statements that the rebels would stop blocking the roads and return to their status before this war, if the government stopped the military operations against them.

The timing of Al Houthi's call for cease-fire raised many questions in the minds of observers especially that it came only three days after they said they were preparing for a long and depleting war.

Al Houthi's call for cease-fire came on the eve of a scheduled meeting for foreign ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council in Jeddah city in which they will discuss the developments of the war in Sa'ada.

It is also expected that the meeting will come out with a position supporting the Yemen's government measures against the rebels.

The political analyst Saeed Thabet said Al Houthi's unilateral initiative for cease-fire was only a tactic and for media attention and it will end by the end of the Jeddah meeting of the GCC of foreign ministers.

"In my judgment, Al Houthis expected that the Jeddah meeting will come out with a position supporting the government against them, so they quickly announced their initiate from one side, although they said a few days ago they would launch a long-run and depleting war against the government," Saeed Thabet said.

On his part, the academic researcher at Sana'a University, Najeeb Ghallab said the aim of this call is only to escape from the State's close control over the rebels' areas in Sa'ada.

"By this call Al Houthi want to preserve their weapons and take breath to fight again later, they know now that the government is determined to spread its influence, " Ghallab said.

"They also know that the government receives support from regional and international parties who are convinced that Iran supports Al Houthis," he said.

The spokesman of the main opposition parties, Naif Al Qanes, said they support any initiative from Al Houthi or from the government, to stop the war.