Yemeni politician: “Roadmap” will not see the light after Washington classifies the Houthis as a terrorist organization

The Secretary-General of the Yemeni Unity Party, Abdullah Awbal, expected that the roadmap for a political solution in Yemen will not see the light of day after Washington’s decision to classify the Houthis as a terrorist organization.

On Tuesday, the US decision to classify the Houthis as a "foreign terrorist organization" came into effect, according to an announcement by the US State Department.

In a statement to Al-Quds Al-Arabi, Awbal explained that the roadmap, which was scheduled to be signed in January of last year, and was frozen by the United States due to the Houthi escalation in the Red Sea linked to the Gaza war, “seems that it will not see the light of day now after the US classification of the Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization.”

He added: "What is strange is the UN envoy's talk about the road map, while he knows that Trump's decision to classify the Houthis as a terrorist organization has blocked any peace process."

However, the Yemeni politician does not believe that the situation on the ground suggests a return to a comprehensive war in Yemen between the legitimate government and the Houthis, explaining that this is due to the inability of the legitimate government to enter into a war with the Houthis without the participation of Saudi Arabia, which he said wants to "devote itself to development and play a greater role in international politics, and prefers to return to the roadmap between it and the Houthis."

Regarding the reasons for Saudi Arabia's adherence to the roadmap, Awbal believed that the Kingdom pays attention to its agreement with Iran under the auspices of China, in addition to its desire not to return to war; however, he added, explaining that Saudi Arabia may ultimately submit to American dictates regarding the disruption of the roadmap.