How Qatar exacerbated Yemeni people's plight

CAIRO - 9 August 2017: For many years, Qatar has been using “charity projects” and other mechanisms as a cover for supporting and funding terrorism, and Yemen has been one of Qatar’s victims.

Evidence shows that Qatar supported the Iran-aligned Houthi militias to destroy Yemen in a number of ways. Qatar has been financially providing a media outlet for Houthi militias through Al-Jazeera and sabotaging mediation efforts in Yemen (including a Saudi-led initiative to solve the situation in Yemen), and there has also been mutual support between Qatar, Iran, and the Houthi militias in Yemen.

Qatar has supported the Houthi movement since 2000 to spite Saudi Arabia, as well as supporting the Shi’ite religious institutes in Yemen with $5,000 a month since 2001. Furthermore, they also bought heavy equipment for the Houthis to dig roads and caves under the auspices of Hezbollah experts.

In the period from 2007 to 2008, Qatar sponsored the first official mediation between Sana'a and the rebels to promote the Houthis internationally, transported military experts from Hezbollah to Saada, a governorate in Yemen, under names of water well engineers of a Syrian company, and bought more than 100 international communication devices known as "Thuraya" to support Houthi leaders.

They also pressured former President of Iran Abdullah Saleh to deny the existence of any Iranian support for the Houthis. In February 2008, an Iranian-planned agreement was signed in Doha to financially support the Houthis.

Lastly, during the Saudi-led “Operation Decisive Storm” in 2015, Doha helped the Houthis spy on coalition forces.

Furthermore, terrorist groups affiliated with the terrorist organization al-Qaeda have documents proving that Qatar and a number of Yemeni commercial companies supported elements of extremist groups, according to the special operations forces of the Yemeni army in the Shabwah governorate.

Iran and Qatar share one of the largest gas fields in the world, giving Qatar the perfect cover to help Iran. Both countries were clearly keen to announce their support for each other, which reflects the importance of their common interests.

Qatar’s relations with several Arab states have been strained since May 24 over a leaked statement, attributed to Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad, criticizing Gulf foreign policy with Iran, which he described as “unwise”.

On June 5, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain cut diplomatic ties with Qatar and imposed economic sanctions, accusing it of funding terrorism – a claim Qatar rejects. They also closed their airspace and seaports to Qatari transportation.

The Arab quartet issued 13 demands to Doha – then shortened to six principles – including closing Al Jazeera television, curbing relations with Iran and shutting down a Turkish military base.