Hamas publicly exposes its support for Houthi Militias and opposition to the UAE
Hamas has a strong relationship with the Houthi militias in Yemen, revealing the truth about the Palestinian movement, which is a major arm of Iran in the region. Mohammed Ali Al-Houthi, a member of the so-called Supreme Political Council of the Houthis, met with Muadh Abu Shamalah, Hamas representative in Yemen, in mid last year.
Hamas defends terrorism
Palestinian Hamas leader Mahmoud al-Zahar is once again defending attacks by Houthi militias in Yemen against Gulf States, the latest of which targeted civilian facilities in the United Arab Emirates, killing three people.
A member of the Political Bureau of Hamas, in statements to Al-Mayadeen Channel, said that the attacks launched by the Houthi militia on Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are legitimate and self-defense.
Al-Zahar described the operations of the Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen as aggression, adding that there is a similarity between the aggression on Yemen and the aggression of the Israeli occupation on the Palestinians.
Commenting on the attacks launched by the Houthi militia against Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, he added that the aggressor has the right to respond, referring to the Houthi militias, noting that the Arab Gulf countries are paying the price of their policies.
Addressing the Houthi militia, he continued: “Those who attacked, attack them, you must defend yourselves by all means”, he said.
Terrorist association
Hamas has strong ties with Houthi militia leaders in Yemen, where the group’s representative in Yemen, Muadh Abu Shamalah, met with Houthi militia leaders in mid-2015.
The official media and the spokesman of the Houthi militias in Yemen at the time reported a meeting between a member of the so-called Supreme Political Council of the Houthis, Mohammed Ali Al-Houthi, and Muadh Abu Shamalah.
Mohammed Al-Houthi received the Hamas Shield for what they said was his role in supporting the Palestinian cause, while Abu Shamalah conveyed to the Houthis the movement’s appreciation for what he described as initiatives launched by the Houthi militia leader Abdul-Malik Al-Houthi, in reference to the call to raise funds for the movement in Sanaa.
A New Development
This is not a new development that brings back the spotlight on the policy of using Iran’s regional tools against Arab states.
This is not the first time statements by Mahmoud al-Zahar include support for terrorism or terrorists under Iran’s orders.
In a speech broadcast by Al-Aqsa, Hamas political bureau member Mahmoud Khaled Al-Zahar said: “Qassem Soleimani, assassinated by a Christian Zionist machine and pleased by this assassination the perverts of this nation, Arab Zionists whose relations with the Jewish occupation of Palestine have been normalized”, in his own words.
Al-Zahar had previously stated that tightening the siege on Gaza and destroying the underground tunnels running from Egypt’s Sinai to the Gaza Strip would have a violent reaction in an open threat to Egypt and its army.
In the A, Al-Zahar appears saying, “When I hear of the Palestinian state, I feel vomited. Palestine is for us just a toothbrush”.
Palestinian condemnation
Fatah denounced statements made by Hamas politburo member Mahmoud al-Zahar, who defended the targeting of Houthi militias in Yemen and the Arab Gulf states.
Fatah spokesman Hussein Hamayel said: “The entire Palestinian people are against these statements and against plunging Palestinians into positions that are aimed at partisan, personal and financial agendas”.
Hamayel added, in press statements, that Mahmoud Al-Zahar with this statement deviates from the Palestinian policy agreed upon by all Palestinians with regard to avoiding the issue and entering into any dark tunnel.
“Such statements represent a great loss for the Palestinian people and divert attention from the fundamental issue of the Palestinians, which is getting rid of the Israeli occupation”, he said.
“Our position as the Fatah movement is clear. We support the will of governments and legitimacy anywhere, and such statements do not represent the Palestinian people”, he said.
“Hamas is used to making such controversial statements when there is merit for Palestinian reconciliation”, he said.
He continued: “We warned against Hamas’s unwillingness to complete reconciliation, as it advances its partisan interests at the expense of our Palestinian people and its national project”.
He pointed out that Hamas’s evasion of reconciliation was evident in the statements of the movement’s recent leaders, pointing out that Hamas’s attack on Fatah and the Palestinian Authority comes in order to weaken any effort that will lead to ending the division.