Tuesday, December 19: Yemeni Threats
An international coalition to protect shipping but not to protect human life
Yemen, one of the most over-exploited, war-torn, and impoverished countries on the planet, has effectively shut down maritime traffic through the Red Sea, impacting the global economy more than any amount of western protests or boycotts. Recent attacks by Yemen’s Houthi forces on commercial marine traffic in the region have prevented ships carrying Israeli resources from reaching the ports of the apartheid state.
Attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on commercial ships began in late November, and they’ve escalated in the past week, with the Yemeni rebels firing anti-ship ballistic missiles at several passing ships and hitting one. As none of the ships were bound for Israel or owned by Israeli companies, the attacks indicate that the Houthis are stepping up efforts to pressure local commerce as a way to force Israel to suspend its genocidal campaign in Gaza.
To their credit, shipping companies seem to have gotten the message. Five of the largest shipping firms in the world announced they would redirect their container ships away from the Bab al Mandab strait, the strategic route through which ships must pass on their way to the Suez Canal and which handles over 10% of global commerce. Since announcing this decision, traffic through the Red Sea has dropped by ~35%, including fossil fuel giant BP announcing the halt of oil and gas shipments through the Red Sea. Ships are instead forced to navigate all the way around the African continent in order to reach the Mediterranean Sea.
Of course, once western access to fossil fuels was threatened, it was only a matter of time before the US got militarily involved. Yesterday, the secretary of defense announced a brand-new US-led operation focusing on the “security challenges in the southern Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden”. They can dress it up however they like, but make no mistake, “Operation Prosperity Guard” is a US-led effort to stop any chance of ending a genocide. This "international coalition" doesn't include a single country from the Red Sea region, and the only Arab country involved is tiny Bahrain, an island nation with a population of 1.4 million (but conveniently housing both US and UK military bases).
You might be wondering, “why have the Yemeni’s involved themselves in this conflict?” It requires awareness of how committed the Yemeni people are to the liberation of Palestine. The protests we’ve seen in American cities calling for a ceasefire pale in comparison to the mass movement of Yemeni’s taking to the streets for their Palestinian brothers and sisters.
But it doesn’t take a genius to recognize why Yemenis are advocating for Palestine. Just a few days ago, an Israeli council head suggested in a radio interview that Gaza should be “flattened completely, just like Auschwitz today”. David Azoulai of the northern Israeli town of Metula is no anomaly, he’s simply the latest Israeli official to publicly call for the annihilation of the besieged Palestinian people. He went even further, suggesting that Palestinians in Gaza be forcibly sent to refugee camps in Lebanon. When the architects of apartheid and genocide tell you their plan, what choice do you have but to disrupt in every way possible?
Side Items
Wild Pigs in St. Louis: A bar owner in south St. Louis is facing charges including felony assault on an officer and misdemeanor resisting arrest. These charges stem from an incident when police crashed their SUV through the front wall of his business. So, for the record, if police ever crash into your business, you may be liable for their stupidity
YouTube “Parenting”: A mother of six kids down in Utah who spent her time giving parenting advice on YouTube pleaded guilty yesterday to child abuse charges and will almost certainly go to prison for trying to convince her two youngest children they were evil, possessed and needed to be punished to repent. Ruby Franke’s YouTube channel “8 Passengers” gained popularity and evidently the fame wasn’t good for her. She abused her 12 year old son and 9 year old daughter, forcing them to work outside and withholding adequate food and water. I consider myself a pretty staunch prison abolitionist, but I’m truly not sure what else can be done with an abusive parent like Ruby
So brilliantly worded and poignant.