Okaz newspaper

THE least that I had expected was to read an article written by a person like Muhammad Ali Al-Houthi, former president of the Revolutionary Committee — a body formed by the Houthis of Yemen — in an American newspaper.

The Washington Post published his opinion article. This became one of the biggest surprises thrown by the newspaper.

A person with modest education and writing ability like him cannot publish a political opinion even in a local newspaper. Al-Houthi surprised us by writing in The Washington Post.

No doubt that the Iranian lobby is the one behind writing this article after coordinating with the newspaper to publish it. This article is a big media scandal and a black dot on the history of the newspaper and its professionalism. The paper allowed an article by a leader of a militia organization, which is blacklisted internationally, to be published. Ironically, the publication of the article coincided with the publication of a news item in the same paper, which said the administration of President Donald Trump was considering a plan to classify Al-Houthi militia as a terrorist organization. The move was a step in the Trump administration’s efforts to end the Yemen war, which the Houthis have turned into a humanitarian catastrophe.

The important thing here is not what Al-Houthi said in his opinion article, because no one believes him. Everyone knows what his group did in Yemen and what made him a fugitive from justice. What is important is the timing and purpose of publishing this article.

The article came at a time when the strategic city of Hodeida was falling from the control of the Houthis after the coalition forces inflicted huge losses on them. The coalition forces were advancing on the city of Saada, the headquarters of the militia. The Houthis also lost many strategic locations in other areas, which is an indication that Yemen will be liberated soon from their occupation. This also indicates that Iran will lose its project in Yemen, which it was implementing through its Houthi agents.

Iran resorted to playing the media card through an international newspaper at a time the results of the mid-term congressional elections were announced in the US. The elections were won by the Democrats, who had sided with Iran and supported it.

This Iranian attempt aimed at influencing the course of the military operation, which is lost by the Houthis and to press for negotiations for a political solution in Yemen.

This is a desperate attempt by the Iranians to save their agents in Yemen. But they will not succeed given the current situations on the ground.

By publishing an article by a wanted terrorist, who is chanting “Death to America”, The Washington Post got embroiled not only in a media scandal but also in an immoral act.