The reception of a suspect accused of war crimes and wanted by international justice in Washington is shameful and disappointing.
Mwatana for Human Rights stated, in a statement, The United States of America reception Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is scheduled to address the U.S. Congress on Wednesday and meet with President Joseph R. Biden on Thursday despite Netanyahu being accused by the International Criminal Court of committing war crimes and sought by international justice, provides further evidence of Washington's complicity and involvement in Israeli war crimes with American weapons in Palestine, Yemen, and on a large scale in the Middle East.
Radhya Al-Mutawakel, Chairperson of Mwatana for Human Rights, stated, "The United States' financial, military and political support for Israel despite Israel's record of human rights violations in Gaza and now in Yemen, and rewarding Netanyahu with a warm reception in Washington, instead of detaining him and referring him to the International Criminal Court, is disgraceful and disappointing behavior. It makes the United States of America a permanent friend of the perpetrators of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity."
The US has a long history of enabling and committing violations of IHL in Yemen, through its lethal operations that have resulted in the killing and maiming of hundreds of civilians over the past twenty years in Yemen. From 2002 - 2014, the United States used drones, airstrikes, and naval bombardments, either with or without the Yemeni government's consent, under the pretext of "counterterrorism." In addition to the military and logistical support it provided to the Saudi/UAE coalition operations in Yemen from 2015 to 2022, which caused 7,509 civilian casualties (dead and wounded), as a result of 1,039 air attacks, targeting civilians, residential areas, infrastructure, and economic targets that are considered vital to the survival of the civilian population.
Despite the atrocities committed in Yemen over the nine-year of the armed conflict, and contrary to Biden's electoral promises, the U.S. State Department's Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced on Tuesday, July 23, 2024, that the Biden administration had approved the sale of $2.8 billion worth of military equipment to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This, the agency said, "will enhance the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's ability to deter current and future threats by providing support and training for the platforms and fleets of the current Royal Saudi Air Force." Thus, Washington continues to function as one of Saudi Arabia's principal arms suppliers.
Mwatana for Human Rights confirmed that its field teams in Hodeidah found part of American Weapons that were used in the Israeli attacks on the port of Hodeidah, as well as in many previous illegal attacks in Yemen. Mwatana for Human Rights, through its field teams, documented the impact of the Israeli fighter jet attacks on the ports of Hodeidah and Al-Saleef and the power station in Hodeidah city (northwest Yemen) immediately after they occurred on Saturday evening. The team verified, through hospital and medical facility visits, the deaths of nine port workers and over eighty injuries due to six dual airstrikes by Israeli warplanes at 5:50 p.m. on oil facilities and fuel tanks in Hodeidah port. These attacks caused severe damage to port cranes, destroying or partially damaging around 43 fuel tanks and containers in Hodeidah port, targeting the central power station in the Al-Katheeb area of Al-Saleef district, and destroying three fuel tanks, causing a complete power outage in Hodeidah city and sparking massive fires that firefighting teams struggled to extinguish for nearly four days.
The attacks also led to significant displacement of residents within and around the attack sites. Mwatana estimates that around 100 families were displaced from the Al-Katheeb area of Al-Saleef district (where power station workers reside), and approximately 150 families were displaced from the Hodeidah port area, moving to central Hodeidah city and Sana'a governorate.
Mwatana’s field team inspected the site of the incident and took more than 22 photos of weapons remnants from the attacks, and the manufacturer’s data is still visible.These photos were sent to three weapons experts, who reviewed and verified the manufacturer's details..
The three experts' preliminary findings indicate that the remnants are likely small-diameter bombs, frequently used in Gaza. There appear to be multiple types of munitions, some likely made in the United States and others in Israel. Experts are still working on analyzing these remains for more details
The field team conducted nine interviews with port officials, survivors, and eyewitnesses, all of whom expressed fears of the fires spreading to gas tanks and causing immense destruction.
A survivor told Mwatana, "I miraculously escaped the flames, with a massive inferno behind me like it was coming from hell."
Additionally, a port official stated,"The strikes caused fuel to leak into the sea, likely creating an imminent environmental disaster, with smoke columns continuing for three days, causing significant environmental damage."
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stated after the Israeli strikes on Hodeidah, "The fire currently burning in Hodeidah can be seen across the Middle East, and the significance is clear. The first time that they harmed an Israeli citizen, we struck them. And we will do this in any place where it may be required." Their actions were not a proportionate response to the previous day's drone attack on Jaffa (Tel Aviv) by the Ansar Allah (Houthi) group, as would be required by international self-defense and legitimate response norms. According to international conventions, such responses must be necessary, proportionate, and targeted at military objectives, avoiding excessive use of force. Instead, the attack killed and injured civilians, and struck several civilian sites, including objects indispensable to the survival of the civilian population. The attacks have also hindered the ability to bring in much needed humanitarian aid into Yemen through the port.
It's worth noting that the reconstruction of Hodeidah port after the damage caused by the armed conflict in Yemen was achieved through UN efforts to maintain the port's operations and ensure the delivery of essential humanitarian aid, fuel, basic goods, and medical supplies. However, the Israeli attacks have undermined these UN and international efforts to restore Hodeidah port operations for the purposes mentioned earlier.
Mwatana calls for an independent international investigation into the attack. Mwatana also urges the international community to assume its responsibility and take effective action to hold Israel accountable for its consistent violations of international law, which include widespread war crimes committed in Gaza. Additionally, Mwatana calls on the international community and UN agencies to implement effective measures to address the consequences and damages resulting from this attack.
