US to Review Decision to Designate Houthis as Terrorist Organization

A spokesman for the US State Department said that his department had begun reviewing the Trump administration’s decision to designate the Houthi group in Yemen as a terrorist organization.

The  spokesman said that they "will not publicly discuss or comment on internal deliberations related to this review."

He stressed that the humanitarian crisis in Yemen is the main motive for expediting what can be done for review and decision making.

However, the spokesman clarified that the Houthi group "needs to change its behavior," adding that it "bears great responsibility for the humanitarian catastrophe and insecurity in Yemen."

However, former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement last Sunday evening, "The State Department will notify Congress that he intends to designate the Houthi (known also as Ansar Allah) group as a terrorist organization."

He indicated that he also intends to include three leaders of the group, namely Abdul-Malik Al-Houthi, his brother Abdul-Khaleq Badr Al-Din Al-Houthi, and Abdullah Yahya Al-Hakim on the list of international terrorists."

Pompeo revealed in his statement that he plans to "take measures to limit the impact of this step on some humanitarian activities and imports to Yemen."

"We have expressed our willingness to work with relevant officials in the United Nations, international and non-governmental organizations, and other international donors to address these repercussions," he said.

Humanitarian organizations, diplomats, and members of Congress from both the Republican and Democratic parties have condemned this step, expressing their fear that this will further fuel the situation on the ground, disrupt the UN peace talks, and exacerbate the humanitarian crisis in the country.

Mercy Corps CEO, Ajada Dwin, said that the Trump administration's designation of the Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization "will undermine the exhausting humanitarian response in Yemen and threaten the lives of millions of Yemenis who depend on humanitarian aid."

On his part, David Miliband, head of the International Rescue Committee, described the US State Department decision as "pure diplomatic sabotage," saying: "This policy, in the name of restricting the Houthis, will effectively bind the aid community and international diplomacy."