The United Nations has called on Saudi Arabia to accept the peace proposal put forward by Yemen’s Houthi Ansarullah movement to mutually halt strikes, after the Houthis conducted a drone raid that knowcked out half of the kingdom’s oil.
UN Special Envoy for Yemen Martin Griffiths said Sunday that achieving sustainable peace required “taking advantage of this opportunity and moving forward with all necessary steps to reduce violence, military escalation and unhelpful rhetoric.”
Mahdi Al-Mashat, the president of Yemen’s Supreme Political Council, said Saturday that Yemen is ready to stop targeting Saudi Arabia by drones, ballistic missiles and cruise missiles provided that the kingdom ends its aggression in response.
“We are waiting for the same or better response in a similar announcement to stop all forms of targeting and aerial bombardment of our Yemeni territory and reserve the right to respond if this initiative is not met,” he said.
Masaht also urged Saudi Arabia and its allies in the war to lift the ban on Sana’a International Airport and stop intercepting aid ships bound for Hodeidah Port.
Griffiths said the implementation of the proposal by the Houthis “in good faith could send a powerful message of the will to end the war.”
He further asked all warring sides to “respect international humanitarian law, exercise restraint, and to spare Yemen from being drawn further into regional tensions.” Saudi Arabia has yet to agree to the offer.
