The Intercept: Biden’s “diplomacy” on Yemen supports Saudi Arabia and may ignite a new escalation

The American website “The Intercept” confirmed that the diplomacy used by the US administration when dealing with the Yemeni file clearly shows a complete biased position with Saudi Arabia and the Emirates, which explains that they are not searching for actual peace. The United States has rejected the demands put by Sana’a, which stipulate paying the salaries of employees and lifting the siege, saying they are “unrealistic demands”. Thus, this clearly reflects Washington’s lack of seriousness in moving towards peace in Yemen.

The site said in a new report: “The White House’s allegations regarding the effectiveness of its diplomacy contradict its political moves and the facts on the ground,” noting that the positions of the US envoy to Yemen, Tim Lenderking, so far, have all been on the side of the Saudi coalition, which means that “Biden’s diplomacy is in Yemen means siding with Saudi Arabia,” according to the title of the report, which added that this “diplomacy” could ignite an all-out war.

“Although the cease-fire during the spring and summer seasons provided a respite for civilian victims in terms of bombing, the ongoing Saudi blockade and economic war against Yemenis perpetuates the humanitarian crisis in the country, which the United Nations considered the worst in the world,” the website added.

The Intercept pointed out that the United States of America is facing criticism, whose owners assert that what the Biden administration is practicing are “machinations” and not sincere diplomatic efforts. The administration does not follow a fair approach in seeking to alleviate the humanitarian crisis and reach a political solution.

Moreover, it explained that the truce on which the Biden administration relies as a result of its “diplomacy” is still ineffective, and it “gives Saudi Arabia room to manoeuvre, noting that it represents an extension of the evasive pattern that the US administration followed from an early stage when Biden pledged to “work to end operations in Yemen.” However, Saudi Arabia engage in a more aggressive bombing campaign under the title of “Defensive Operations”!

The site quoted Bruce Riedel, a CIA analyst and fellow at the Brookings Institution, as saying that “the Saudis accepted the armistice after realizing belatedly that they were losing in an expensive quagmire.”

Regarding the demands of Sana’a, represented in paying the salaries of state employees from oil and gas revenues and lifting the blockade on Sana’a airport and Hodeidah port, the report clarified that they are demands that are consistent with what many Democrats in the US Congress have called for, stressing that they are “realistic and not impossible” demands.

In addition, the “diplomacy” led by the Biden administration at all levels is unable to persuade the Saudis to stop transferring the salaries of state employees to Riyadh, referring to the Yemeni oil and gas revenues that are deposited in the National Bank of Saudi Arabia.

He explained that the position of the Biden administration, which considers paying the salaries of state employees “a huge cost to renew the cease-fire,” confirms that the approach taken by the White House is “not serious” in working to end the war.

The report quoted observers as saying: The demands for the payment of salaries and lifting the blockade “benefit Yemeni employees, not the Sana’a government itself,” and that “the unrealistic and cruel thing is to continue depriving millions of government employees of their salaries for many years and to thwart the ceasefire negotiations; Because of the rejection of a humanitarian demand, not a political or military one.

The article added that the truce, in its current state, and without providing any serious solutions to the blockade or the salaries of state employees, “causes misery for the citizens.”

The report ruled out that “the Saudis and Emiratis would budge” from their position of rejecting the demands of Sana’a, noting that they have so far provided no positive indications except with regard to easing violence directed against Abu Dhabi and Saudi oil fields, in a clear hint that Saudi Arabia and the Emirates are only trying to avoid the return of strikes that target the depth of their countries, and are not looking for actual peace.

The report concluded by saying: The Biden administration’s diplomacy is not achieving anything, which is what makes “renewed violence seem inevitable.”

Sana’a had confirmed more than once during the last period that the United States is the one that prevents any progress in the talks and negotiations to renew the armistice, and made it clear that the Biden administration is trying to cover up its intransigence through slogans and propaganda for peace.

President Mahdi Al-Mashat revealed earlier that the US envoy to Yemen thwarted good understandings that had been reached during the negotiations that followed the end of the armistice period.