Houthi leader calls for solidarity marches for Palestine, says group is ready for next round with Israel

Abdul Malik al-Houthi, the leader of Yemen’s Houthi movement, has called on Yemenis to take part in large public marches on Friday in support of the Palestinian people and in solidarity with what he described as their suffering caused by ongoing Israeli attacks.

According to Yemen’s Saba news agency, al-Houthi said in a statement issued on Thursday that the call came in response to a request from Palestinians. He said Palestinians are facing killing, siege, abduction, forced displacement, destruction of homes and the abuse of detainees, which he described as ongoing violations of international agreements and guarantees.

The statement said the marches reflect the firm public stance in Yemen in support of Palestinians, and readiness for what it described as “the next round of confrontation with Israel and its allies and partners”. It also reaffirmed solidarity with the Islamic Republic of Iran, Lebanon and several other countries in the region.

The statement added that continued Israeli actions, including daily violations at the Al-Aqsa Mosque, land seizures in the West Bank and the expansion of settlements, are “ongoing acts that should not become normal scenes in the eyes of Islamic public opinion”.