Arab Parliament Launches International Push to Designate Houthis as Terrorist Group

The Arab Parliament has announced a comprehensive regional and international initiative to designate the Houthi militia as a terrorist organization, aiming to isolate it politically, economically, and legally in response to its persistent attacks on Saudi Arabia's territory and vital civilian and economic infrastructure.

In a statement released on its "X" platform account on Friday, the Parliament indicated that the plan seeks to galvanize a firm international stance against the militia's aggressions, choke off its funding and armament sources, and hold accountable those responsible for its crimes and violations under international law.

The initiative is structured around four main tracks: diplomatic, political, security, judicial, and economic. The objective is to garner regional and international support for deterrent measures against the militia and to halt its attacks.

On the diplomatic front, the Parliament intends to engage with the parliaments of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council to rally support for the Arab initiative and to pressure for international actions targeting the cessation of Houthi assaults and the disruption of their funding and armament channels.

The plan also includes outreach to the President of the European Parliament and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, urging European institutions to complete the necessary legal procedures for listing the Houthi militia among terrorist organizations, alongside expanding sanctions against its leaders and affiliated entities, including asset freezes and financial restrictions.

In the judicial sphere, the Parliament declared its intention to compile a comprehensive legal dossier documenting the violations and aggressions attributed to the militia. This dossier will be submitted as a complaint to the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, based on the Rome Statute, and will urge relevant nations to prosecute and hold accountable those responsible.

The economic track aims to secure international backing to cut off the militia's financial and armament sources, and to pursue financing networks, smuggling operations, front companies, and financial transfers implicated in supporting its military activities.

The Parliament highlighted that these actions are a direct response to the repeated Houthi aggressions against Saudi Arabia. It warned that the repercussions extend beyond threatening the Kingdom's security and sovereignty, impacting global maritime and air navigation, energy supplies, international supply chains, and trade, thereby jeopardizing Arab national security and regional and international stability.