Around 75 politicians, activists, faith leaders, academics and journalists have come together to urge Turkey, Egypt and Pakistan to desist from getting involved into the military conflict in Yemen.
In a letter to the leaders of the three countries, the signatories implore them to resist Saudi appeals to support Riyadh’s renewed offensive in Yemen aimed at exerting its influence over the country’s political landscape.
The letter reminds the three leaders that any unauthorised military intervention would represent a violation of Yemen’s sovereignty and place them outside international law.
Moreover, the entry of more external actors into Yemen would further complicate an already difficult situation. Foreign interference is the single standout cause of political instability in modern Yemen. It does not need any more.
Thirdly, bringing more military might to bear on Yemen would gravely aggravate the humanitarian crisis there. According to UNICEF, even before the latest escalation, an estimated 12.2 million children in the impoverished country needed humanitarian assistance, more than 2.2 million children under five were acutely malnourished, around 3.2 million children were out of school and 40 per cent of health facilities were completely out of service or only partially functioning.
Any intervention would also be morally unjustified given that the three countries would be waging war against one of the few forces that have risen to the challenge of confronting Israel’s genocide in Palestine.
Among the letter’s signatories are the former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, the Palestinian writer and academic Ghada Karmi and the former Bristol University academic and expert on Zionism, David Miller.
The full text of the letter is available to read here.
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Notes to Editors
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