Qatar and the Houthis: Doha seeks diplomatic exchange with Yemeni militia

Nora Bandary

Qatar’s regime continues to work to support all terrorist groups in various ways, as Doha does not hesitate to provide groups loyal to its Turkish and Iranian allies with financial, political and logistical support. This time it has turned to consolidating its diplomatic relations with the Houthi militia in Yemen after Iran sent its new ambassador to the Houthis.

Diplomatic cooperation

In this context, Houthi media revealed on October 6, that Qatar is seeking to officially recognize the militia and is working to arrange diplomatic relations with it, as Doha seeks to reopen its embassy in the capital, Sanaa, which is under Houthi control, and to appoint an ambassador for the pro-Iranian group in Qatar. Thus, Doha would be the third country to establish diplomatic relations with the terrorist Houthi group, following Iran and Syria.

In addition, the Qatari regime is coordinating with the Houthis with the aim of launching a diplomatic representation for the so-called Supreme Political Council (the Houthi governing authority) in Doha. According to Houthi media, Abdul Malik Al-Ajri, a member of the Houthi negotiating delegation, is a candidate to be an ambassador for the militia in Qatar.

Hidden support

Comment on this, Undersecretary of the Yemeni Ministry of Information Najeeb Ghallab indicated in press statements that the Houthi militia has a cell residing in Doha that plays a role greater than an embassy and communicates with the rulers of the Qatari regime, noting that Doha granted some Houthi leaders Qatari passports to move freely inside Qatari territory in order to implement the agenda of the pro-Iranian group.

Ghallab declared that the members of the Houthi cell represent an essential link between the militia, Qatar, Iran and all those who support the Houthis, pointing out that Qatar has no interest in announcing the appointment of an ambassador, which would reveal itself and confirm that it supports the Houthis, putting itself in trouble. It is the Houthis who want to announce this in order to force Doha to officially recognize and support it, similar to the Iranian regime.

It should be noted that although Doha has not announced or commented yet on what the Houthi media have announced regarding Qatar’s opening of its embassy in Sanaa, this is not unlikely to happen, especially since Doha has always worked to assist and support terrorist groups in general, and the Houthis in particular, as it has previously provided the militia with financial and media support at various levels for many years.

In addition, the Houthi announcement regarding a diplomatic exchange with Qatar comes at a time when the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on October 16 the arrival of its new ambassador, Hassan Irloo, to Sanaa.

International offense

Yemeni political analyst Mahmoud al-Taher explained to the Reference that this is a matter of political intrigue, because Qatar cannot declare its ambassador to the Houthis by virtue of UN Resolution 2216, which considers the Houthis to be a rogue coup group and that international legitimacy is with the legitimate Yemeni government of President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi.

Taher pointed out that, assuming this actually happens, it reveals the truth that Qatar supports terrorism and extremist religious groups, including the Houthi militia in Yemen, which means that Qatar threatens security and stability in the Arab world and is using the resources of the Qatari people to support these terrorist groups.

The arrival of the Iranian ambassador to Sanaa airport was with the complicity of UN Envoy Martin Griffiths due to the weakness of Yemeni diplomacy, Taher said, adding that what happened is a flagrant violation of Yemen’s sovereignty, which allows it to declare an all-out war against the state violating its sovereignty.