Former Houthi spokesman gives surprising advice to Israel

Former Houthi spokesman Ali Al-Bukhaiti addresses the escalation of U.S. strikes in Yemen, stating that Israel and the Americans will not succeed in eliminating the Houthis. He also offered surprising advice to Israel regarding strikes on Iran.

Who is Ali Al-Bukhaiti?

Ali Al Bukhaiti's relationship with the Houthi movement began in 2008 under unusual circumstances. He was imprisoned by the Yemeni government after accompanying a British-American journalist who was reporting on the group. They were arrested while attempting to meet Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, the movement's leader. During his imprisonment, Al Bukhaiti formed connections with key Houthi figures, including Mohammed al-Houthi.

Following the Arab Spring uprisings, Al Bukhaiti's position within the movement grew. He was appointed as spokesman for a general forum of revolutionary forces that included the Houthis. His role expanded when the Houthis granted him one of their allocated seats in the National Dialogue Conference in 2013, and he eventually became their official spokesman.

However, Al Bukhaiti's loyalty to the movement began to fracture in 2014 after the Houthis entered Sanaa, Yemen's capital. He started publicly criticizing the group for human rights violations and the seizure of civilian homes. His final break with the movement came in 2015 when he resigned in protest after Houthi forces stormed the residence of then-Yemeni president Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi.

Regarding his political views, Al Bukhaiti has expressed support for a secular Yemeni state with strong civil rights protections. He became disillusioned with the Houthis after their takeover of Sanaa, concluding that they would not deliver on these ideals. He has characterized their vision as fundamentally racist and sectarian.

Today, Al Bukhaiti advocates for the overthrow of the Houthi regime. In a position that might surprise many, he has suggested that Israel could participate in an international coalition aimed at removing the Houthis from power, drawing parallels to the US-led coalition against ISIS.

His surprising advice:

In an interview with i24NEWS, Al-Bukhaiti said: "The actions of the U.S. and Israel will not succeed. I don't think this operation will have any impact on the Houthis, because the Americans and also the Israelis are unable to discover the Houthi bases."

He provided further explanation, saying: "They are not a state, they don't have bases visible to the eye, or known warehouses. They are a group of militias who accumulate missiles, fire them from somewhere, and then calm down. I think such actions will not lead to any achievement."

Al-Bukhaiti surprisingly suggested a solution: "I think the best thing is an international coalition whose main purpose is not securing Israeli shipping and securing international shipping in the strait, but changing the reality in Yemen, especially in Sanaa, and toppling the Houthi regime."

Additionally, Al-Bukhaiti conveyed advice to Israel regarding strikes on Iran: "I think this is a good opportunity. If I were in the place of the Israelis or the government in Israel, I would not miss the opportunity to thwart Iran's nuclear program during this period, when Trump is the president in the White House. Israel will not get such an opportunity again."