‘Battle for power in Yemen no longer a local issue’

The Arab coalition’s air strikes against the ballistic missiles of Al Houthi rebels are a matter of utmost importance, since those missiles confirm that the rebels are striving to continue carrying out their crimes, said the UAE’s Al Bayan.

“It is impossible for Al Houthis and rebels to develop these kinds of missiles, unless they received highly advanced military and technical assistance, which are available to Iran and Hezbollah. This indicates that these parties are determined to ensure that the war continues by providing these smuggled missiles that may have been secretly produced in the north of Yemen. The time has come for those parties to confess that the battle for power in Yemen is no longer an exclusively local issue, rather, it is a regional and international conflict. The truth that has been revealed regarding the ballistic missiles calls for adopting all measures against Al Houthis and rebels in order to stop and prevent bloodshed.”

Qatar, meanwhile, remains unwavering in its stand to support and dispatch relief to Yemen, said Qatar’s Al Sharq. “This position is reflected in Qatar’s active participation as part of the Arab coalition’s operations to restore legitimacy in Yemen and its support for a peaceful dialogue, most recently the talks held in Kuwait. The country is also providing relief aid for Yemenis who were displaced and affected by the rebellious actions of Al Houthis and their allies. More than 1.3 million people in various parts of Yemen have benefited from Qatar’s aid,” the paper said.

Palestine-Israel conflict

Many years have passed since the outbreak of the Arab-Israeli conflict, many changes have occurred and many regional challenges have emerged, yet the Palestinian issue remains the Arab world’s central issue, said Egypt’s Al Ahram.

“There is a need to reach a comprehensive and fair settlement that will bring back stability to the Middle East. Egypt has always been keen on sacrificing everything for the sake of the Palestinian cause, providing unconditional support for the Palestinian liberation movements — from Fatah to the Palestinian Liberation Organisation. But the issue is not simply a matter of conflict over Palestinian-Israeli borders, rather it is an intricate conflict that overlaps to a very large extent with regional and international powers. That is why Egypt continues to call on concerned international parties to play their role in reaching a fair settlement on the Palestinian issue.”

Some Israeli Jews are apparently more equal than others, said the Saudi Gazette. “The refusal by Ethiopian-Israeli soldiers to report for reserve duty in the future is a drastic decision, coming after Israel’s top police chief suggested that Ethiopians were more responsible for crime than other Israelis. The decision of the soldiers comes against a background of growing unrest among the Ethiopian community in Israel about police discrimination and brutality towards the minority group, with street protests taking place last year, following a police attack on an Ethiopian soldier. Israel must quickly and radically change its treatment of the 130,000 Ethiopian-Israelis ...”