Does the end of Yemen’s truce mean return to full-blown fighting?
Al JazeeraDec 23, 2022
The Facts
The six-month truce between the Iran-backed Houthi rebels and the Saudi and UAE-backed Yemeni government expired on Sunday without being extended as fears of a renewal of large-scale fighting grow.
The truce was originally implemented in April, and since then has been renewed twice, but now both sides are becoming reluctant to continue the ceasefire. The UN's Yemen Envoy, Hans Grundberg, called for the continuation of talks to reach an agreement.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
The Houthis have continued to threaten peace and security in Yemen since they launched their coup in 2014, and the failure to renew the truce is no different. What is the point of implementing an agreement if one side does not fulfill its promises? In this case, the Houthis refused to lift the siege of Taiz and allow humanitarian aid into the city, which was one of the key points in the agreement.
Establishment-critical narrative
It's the Yemeni government and its powerful Gulf allies who have obstructed peace in Yemen and continue to punish its citizens for standing up for themselves. The Saudi-led coalition hasn't taken the truce or its terms seriously, and the only reason fighting hasn't broken out is because the Houthis have acted with restraint and caution. Peace will only be found when the siege of Yemen is lifted.
Cynical narrative
The war in Yemen, now in its eighth year, is every bit as brutal as what's taking place in Ukraine, and both sides have violated the agreed ceasefire on numerous occasions. The West's failure to address this humanitarian disaster or cover it in the media with any sort of urgency says a lot about the world's inherent bias and who is considered worthy versus unworthy victims.
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