Houthis ‘prepared for any escalation’, call for Arab boycott of Israel
The Houthis in Yemen, who earlier today organised another large pro-Palestine protest, read out a message at the rally to condemn the “silence” from most Arab and Islamic countries about the war on Gaza.
“We condemn the global silence and complicity, and the reliance on deceptive verbal stances that encourage the enemy to persist in its crimes,” the group also said in reference to Israel.
The statement said the Yemeni people will not retreat from their support of Palestinians, and that the threats from Israel, the US and their allies do not intimidate them as they are “prepared for any escalation, regardless of its scale or source”.
“We call on Arabs and Muslims, both peoples and governments, to boycott the goods and products of Israeli and American companies.”
Lebanese resistance will not give up weapons: Hezbollah’s Qassem
Hezbollah’s Secretary-General Naim Qassem has made the following remarks at a gathering in Beirut to mark Ashura, a day of commemoration that takes place annually on the 10th of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar:
- To those who demand that the resistance hand over its weapons: Demand instead that the aggressor [Israel] leaves.
- Is it reasonable that you do not criticise the aggression and always aim your criticism at your own people and countrymen? And you tell them, ‘First, you must give up your weapons!’
- If some choose to surrender, that is their business – but as for us, we do not accept it.
- The real achievement is to liberate our land and our homeland – this is our call to you, and we are ready.
- Today, we are in the heart of Lebanon, living normally, playing our role, we have MPs, we participate at the heart of government, we amend laws, and we express our opinions just as others do, all within the framework of the law.
‘Tactic of direct action cannot be proscribed’: Palestine Action
The UK-based Palestine Action movement, which will be designated a “terrorist” organisation after midnight local time for acting against Israel’s war on Gaza, says the government “had to impose the most draconian attack on civil liberties to please the pro-Israel lobby”.
“To be clear, they cannot proscribe the TACTIC of direct action for Palestine,” the group said in a statement, also welcoming civil disobedience to resist the proscription.
“This is a moment that the British state will likely come to regret. It’s a signal to all of us who are willing to resist, to make the ban unenforceable.”
