Yemen Houthis Offer Prisoner Swap With Saudi Coalition As UN Truce Effort Takes Hold, Fighting Suspended
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A United Nations effort for a truce in the Yemen fighting has led to its first major accomplishment, a proposed prisoner swap. The rebel Houthis said they are ready to swap more than 800 prisoners, listing 16 Saudi nationals and the brother of Yemen’s president among the first. In a series of developments, the exchange offer came after the UN proposed a truce for the holy month of Ramadan, starting in April. Next the Gulf Cooperation Council called a major meeting of all Yemen interests to discuss a path to peace and how to rebuild Yemen, although the Houthis have declined to attend. Then after both sides had engaged in intensive strikes -- the Houthis struck an oil depot in Jeddah last week in the biggest assault yet, and the coalition retaliated by heavy bombing of Houthi-held Sanaa and Hodeidah in Yemen -- the Houthis offered a three-day truce over the weekend, followed by the offer of the prisoner exchange.
Iran’s parliament tried again but failed again to elect a new president, further postponing organization of the new government, but will try again this week. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken tries to assure Israel and Arab states that a nuclear agreement with Iran won't allow the Iranians to produce a nuclear weapon. U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said that if the nuclear talks in Vienna do fail, the U.S. will put more pressure on Iran. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are in discussions with the U.S. for more security support including intelligence sharing, and both countries want a plan before they will consider acting on the oil price crisis.
And news from Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Iran, Egypt, Morocco, and More.
The Houthi militia in Yemen is offering a prisoner swap with the Saudi coalition. Working with the United Nations for the past week, the rebel Houthis say they are ready to exchange 823 prisoners held from the Saudi-led coalition forces for 1,400 militants. The Houthis proposed an initial list that would include 16 Saudi nationals and a brother of the Yemeni president , Mansour Hadi.
Reuters, Yemen warring parties discuss possible prisoner swap including 16 Saudis.
IANS, Yemen’s Houthi militia read to swap 823 prisoners with Saudi-led coalition forces: Official.
Yemen's Houthi forces announced a three-day suspension of the war against the Saud-backed coalition. Missile and drone strikes on Saudi Arabia were stopped and ground operations were halted in Yemen after intensive fighting in the Marib region. A Yemen official said the suspension could lead to a lasting commitment if coalition air strikes are halted and port restrictions are removed.
Mahdi al-Mashat, head of the Houthis' political office, said in a speech broadcast on television: "This is a sincere invitation and practical steps to rebuild trust and take all the sides from the arena of talks to the arena of acts." Mashat said the Houthis are ready to release all prisoners, including the brother of Yemen's president, Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.
Reuters, Yemen's Houthis suspend strikes on Saudi Arabia for three days.
The call for a truce in Yemen came after a wave of Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and coalition airstrikes hitting back. Houthis forces had fired a major drone attack that set fire to a Saudi oil depot in Jeddah, the highest-profile assault yet on the kingdom, and the Saudi-led coalition retaliated with a barrage of airstrikes on Sanaa and Hodeida in Yemen.
AFP, Yemen rebels call truce after wave of attacks on Saudi Arabia.
Associated Press, Saudi airstrikes hit Yemen's Houthis after Jiddah attack.
The United States called on Yemen's Houthis to agree to a "step-by-step process" to de-escalate the conflict in Yemen. U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan issued a statement condemning Houthi attacks on Saudi Aramco oil storage facilities, calling them "acts of terrorism." He said Saudi Arabia and Yemen have endorsed "multiple UN calls" for ceasefires , and said "It is time to bring this war to a close." Text of the statement.
The White House, Statement by National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan on Houthi attack against Saudi Arabia.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken tried to assure Middle East countries about a nuclear deal with Iran. Blinken met at a hotel in the Negev desert with officials of Israel and Arab states Egypt, Morocco, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain as the nuclear talks in Vienna appear poised to end soon. "When it comes to the most important element, we see eye-to-eye," Blinken said.at a news conference with Israel's foreign minister, Yair Lapid. "We are both committed, both determined that Iran will never acquire a nuclear weapon."
Associated Press, US tries to calm Israel and Arab allies ahead of possible Iran nuclear deal.
If diplomacy doesn't succeed in the Iran nuclear talks in Vienna, the U.S. will put more pressure on Iran. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said substantial progress has been made in the talks, but "There still are issues left. There still is work to be done." He said the U.S. is seeking a diplomatic outcome, but "if diplomacy doesn't succeed, then we will work very closely with our international partners to increase the pressure on Iran."
Reuters, U.S. to increase pressure on Iran if nuclear diplomacy fails - White House.
The European Union's top diplomat said Iran and world powers are very close to agreement on reviving the 2015 nuclear accord. Josep Borrell made the comments while addressing the Doha Forum international conference in Qatar over the weekend. Enrique Mora, the European Union coordinator for the nuclear talks, said he would be going to Iran for a meeting with Iran's chief negotiator.
Reuters, EU's Borrell says nuclear agreement with Iran very close.
Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates want more security support from the United States. Saudi Arabia reportedly is sending messages to the U.S. about support in the oil crisis and for Ukraine if the Biden administration does more to address Saudi security concerns, including intelligence cooperation and countering threats from the Houthis in Yemen. The UAE has asked for a more "institutionalized security commitment" with intelligence sharing and combined military exercises and operations. "The message from the Saudis and the UAE is we will come back if you come back bearing a plan, and that message has been delivered," a source briefed on the ongoing discussions said.
Financial Times, Saudi Arabia and UAE push for more security support from US.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky made a surprise video appearance at Qatar's Doha forum. Zelensky called on the United Nations and world powers to come to Ukraine's aid in the war with Russia and said "they are destroying our ports. The absence of exports from Ukraine will deal a blow to countries worldwide." The loss of Ukrainian wheat already is worrying Middle East nations like Egypt, which relies on Ukraine's grain exports.
Associated Press, Ukraine asks Qatar, others to boost energy exports amid war..
Iraq's parliament failed to elect a president as scheduled and will try again this week. The parliament had a list of 40 candidates for president, a position reserved for the Kurdish minority, but could not get a quorum when Iran-backed militia parties boycotted the meeting. The main candidates are the incumbent Barham Saleh and Rebar Ahmed, supported by cleric leader Moqtad al-Sadr whose party has the most seats in parliament. Another vote was scheduled for Wednesday.
AFP, Iraq fails again to elect new president, remaining mired in political paralysis.
Iraq's foreign minister says a nuclear deal with Iran is in Iraq's interest. Minister Fuad Hussein said Iraq is on good terms with both the United States and Iran and "in contact with both sides.
“Sometimes we are trying to get messages between the Americans and the Iranians." Hussein said , adding that a revived nuclear agreement with Iran would reduce tension in Iraq and in the region.
"Conflict between Washington and Iran reflects itself on Iraqi soil. As a result, we are paying the price."
Al-Monitor, Iraqi foreign minister says Iran nuclear deal in Iraq's interest.
Israel blocked Ukraine from buying the NSO group's Pegasus spyware for fear of angering Russia. Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, has been critical of Israel's stance on Ukraine's war with Russia, saying in a recent address that Israel would have to "give answers" on why it hasn't supplied weapons to Ukraine or applied sanctions on Russia. Sources said Ukrainian officials have been asking for the Pegasus spyware since 2019, but the NSO group, regulated by Israel's defense ministry, was never permitted to market or sell the company's spyware in Ukraine.
The Guardian, Israel blocked Ukraine from buying Pegasus spyware, fearing Russia's anger.
Iran claims an agreement between Saudi Arabia and Kuwait to develop a gas field is illegal because Iran owns part. Kuwait and Saudi Arabia signed an agreement to develop the Durra gas field, which is expected to produce one billion cubic feet of gas a day and 84,000 barrels a day of condensates. But Iran said it must be included in any action to operate and develop the field. "The Arash/Al-Durra gas field is a joint field between Iran, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia," Iran's foreign ministry said. "Parts of it are located in areas between Iran and Kuwait whose water boundaries have not been defined. The Islamic Republic of Iran also reserves the right to exploit the gas field," it said.
Reuters, Iran says Saudi-Kuwait deal on Durra gas development 'illegal.'
A trial begins in the United States this week for an Islamic State militant accused of taking part in the capture and murder of aid workers and journalists. El Shafee Elsheikh will go on trial Tuesday in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia. Prosecutors say he was involved in the deaths of four Americans who were reporting on or supporting victims of the Syrian civil war. He is also implicated in the deaths of British, Japanese, and Norwegian captives.
Washington Post, Trial to begin in ISIS killing of U.S. journalists, aid workers.
France has opened an inquiry into a United Arab Emirates officer who is now president of Interpol with allegations of torture and barbarism. The French action followed a legal complaint by a non-governmental organization that Emerati General Ahmed Nasser al-Raisi was responsible for inhumane treatment of Ahmed Mansoor, an opponent of the UAE government. The Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR) lodged the complaint, and its lawyer William Boudon said it was "totally incomprehensible" that French prosecutors did not immediately order Raisi's arrest "given that he is in France."
AFP, France opens inquiry into alleged torture by Interpol's Emirati head.
Saudi Arabia signed agreements worth more than $4.2 billion on the first day of an entrepreneurial congress in Riyadh. More than 30 agreements and initiatives were signed involving digital transformation, information technology, and national development. The agreements were made with both local and international companies.
Xinhua, Saudi Arabia signs agreements worth over 4.2 bln USD.
Qatar and the Gates Foundation will jointly invest up to $200 million to help prepare farmers to adapt to climate change. The new partnership will focus on developing countries and the investments will come over the next two years. Mark Suzman, chief executive officer of the Gates Foundation, said farming methods and technology will be introduced to communities that depend on agriculture for both food and income, primarily in sub-Saharan Africa.
Reuters, Gates Foundation, Qatar to spend $200 million on climate-adaptive agriculture.
The United Arab Emirates is accelerating a plan to invest billions of dollars in Egypt as economic shocks and the war in Ukraine threaten. The UAE is concerned that the problems could shake the stability of Egypt, the most populous Arab nation. The UAE will invest about $2 billion by buying state-held stakes in companies.
Bloomberg, UAE pumps money into Egypt as food-price surge squeezes economy.
MORE: Tunisia releases a journalist detained a week ago for refusing to reveal his sources, Reuters... Israel, Morocco sign MoU on military cooperation - army spokesperson, Reuters... Ukraine war could delay Egypt's first nuclear power plant, Al-Monitor... Jordanian military says it intercepted haul of a million Captagon pills from Syria, The National... Lebanon asks to be exempt from Algeria's sugar export ban, Reuters... Turkey, US consult on Libya amid west-east rift in country: Envoy, Daily Sabah.
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Western powers want more oil from Saudi Arabia, which has its own demand: Support its war in Yemen. Seven years after a Saudi-led coalition first launched air strikes against Yemen's Houthi rebels, the conflict shows no signs of abating. As oil prices soar, the Saudis are being pressed to increase oil output in order to bring down prices. In any deal, Saudi Arabia's first demand on Yemen is for the United States to re-designate the Houthis as a terrorist organization.
AFP, Seven years into Yemen quagmire, Saudis play oil hardball.
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Phys.Org, Water supply fears as Morocco hit by worst drought since 1980s.