Political update -The Houthis

The Houthis are a terrorist group. The Civil War in Yemen, initiated by them a decade ago, has led to the deaths of more than 377,000 people. They have committed countless war crimes. Their official slogan reads: “God is the greatest, Death to America, Death to Israel, Curse the Jews, Victory to Islam.” In recent weeks, they have undertaken attacks on shipping passing the Bab-al Mandab strait – a key artery for global trade at the southern end of the Red Sea.
 
Naturally, this group – which apart from being antisemitic, has reintroduced slavery to Yemen and banned women from travelling without a male guardian – has received rapturous plaudits from the global “anti-Israel” movement. The Houthis claim that they are attacking Israeli ships – despite the fact that the ships they are attacking have nothing to do with Israel – has been charitably reinterpreted by this movement as the Houthis’ trying to block shipping as a way of attempting to stop Israel’s operation in Gaza. People pointing out that the interruption of the global supply chain of food, medicine and other necessities is not a good thing have been hysterically accused of being concerned that their Amazon deliveries are late.  
 
The Prime Minister has set out plans to help cut off the Houthis’ financial resources and weapons shipments. However, further action should be taken, given the recent news from America. Early in Mr Biden’s tenure as President, the proscription of the Houthis announced by his predecessor was reversed. However, last week the US State Department announced that the group would again be designated as a terrorist group from mid-February. The British Government should follow suit, before we inevitably start to see Houthi posters among those marching “against Israel” in this country on a weekly basis.
 

Board holds talks with International Committee ofthe Red Cross to discuss hostage situation

Folllowing widespread criticism from the Jewish community towards the International Committee of the Red Cross, the Board of Deputies arranged a meeting with senior representatives from the organisation, attended by President Marie van der Zyl and Chief Executive Michael Wegier.
After that meeting, the ICRC sent the following letter to the Board, which you can read in full by clicking below.


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Board writes to International Cricket Council after Jewish South African stripped of captaincy 

The Board of Deputies, the ADL and the Executive Council of Australian Jewry have called on the International Cricket Council (ICC) to help reverse a decision to strip the Jewish South African player, David Teeger, of his captaincy of the Under-19 team.
 
Board of Deputies Chief Executive Michael Wegier, ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt and Executive Council of Australian Jewry CEO Peter Wertheim wrote to ICC CEO Geoff Allardice, saying: “We write today to ask for your help to reverse the discriminatory decision by Cricket South Africa (CSA) to strip the Jewish South African player David Teeger of his captaincy of the Under 19 team, an action which we believe is highly likely to have breached the ICC Code of Conduct in its anti-Jewish discrimination.”
 
They added: “CSA’s decision makes no sense from a security point of view. It makes perfect sense as an act of discrimination. Israel may be unpopular in South Africa, but the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism includes the example of holding non-Israeli Jews responsible for the actions of the State of Israel.”

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