It has been months since the Hamas-led October 7 attack on Israel which in turn has led to the prolonged Israeli bombing campaign of Gaza. In response to the disproportionate violence being inflicted upon Palestine, numerous countries have taken a stance against Israel with one of the most notable opposition countries being the state of Yemen. A particularly militant group within Yemen called the Houthi Rebels have taken measures since November to effectively create a blockade against trade ships headed for Israel.
My main contention is that it seems utterly ridiculous to me the sheer uproar that people have expressed regarding the Houthi rebels’ initiative against the propagation of a colonialist state. My sense of bewilderment regarding this reaction is based on two things.
The first is that the tactics that the Houthi rebels are using to drive away or, if necessary, sink trade vessels are not entirely alien when one takes a look at the general way that other countries often sanction trade waters and try to discourage sanctioned trade vessels from passing through. The standard procedure is to issue a warning against sanctioned trade vessels from passing and then, again if necessary, sink the vessels if they refuse to leave sanctioned trade routes.
Secondly, the outrage people are expressing over the Houthi rebels’ strikes on Israel-bound trade ships could be much better served in condemning the ongoing displacement and destruction of the Palestinian people. If people are concerned about the “loss of life” and “barbarity” of the Houthi response to Israeli trade, it would seem prescient that these same outraged people would be even more outraged about the horrific casualties and utter chaos that is currently being inflicted all over Palestine and would be pushing vehemently for an immediate ceasefire. Yet while much of the world seems to agree that a ceasefire is necessary and should be enacted as soon as possible, the United States vetoes a ceasefire plan brought forth by the United Nations.
All of this isn’t even taking into account the fact that the U.S. and the U.K. coordinated a retaliatory bombing attack on the Houthi rebels in Yemen just last January. Now a fair complaint that can be leveled at my reasoning regarding the “non-issue” element of the Houthi attacks on trade vessels would be to say “Well, the Houthis don’t represent Yemen and besides there have been no agreed upon sanctions within the U.N. against trade vessels headed to Israel.”
My retort to that would be to remind everyone that repeated attempts to pass a ceasefire resolution have been vetoed consistently and that the inhumane bombardment, strategic starvation, and greater atrocities being committed against the Palestinian people are seemingly continuing without world leaders hearing the pleas of the people who demand a ceasefire. When situations become so dire and things seem darkest it is only fair to expect people who have solidarity with the oppressed to take an initiative against oppressors and do all that they can to see to the restoration and resurgence of oppressed peoples. It’s always astonishing how the world powers love the idea of autonomy and autonomous action when it’s being utilized by national actors that align with their own political and economic agenda; but should an oppressed people try to express their autonomy?
You best run for cover.
