Hamas treads carefully with support for Yemen war
Hamas’ stance on the war in Yemen may redraw the map of its political alliances in the region, repositioning itself toward the so-called Sunni axis.
With the continuation of Operation Decisive Storm, which the Saudi-led coalition has been carrying out against the Houthis in Yemen since March 26, more positions continue to emerge on the operation — some in support and some opposed — thus redrawing the map of alliances in the region.
Hamas announced its position on the war March 30, in a brief statement noting its support of political legitimacy in Yemen, and the option that the Yemeni people get who they democratically agree upon. The statement stressed that Hamas stands with Yemen’s unity and security and wants dialogue and consensus among its residents, and added that the movement supports the security and stability of the Arab region and rejects anything that harms its security and stability.
It seems that the only statement issued by Hamas on Yemen was drafted in a cautious and delicate manner, in which it does not adopt a specific position for or against the war on the Houthis, for fear of paying high political costs — either from Saudi Arabia, which is leading the coalition, or Iran, which stands with the Houthis.
Hamas believes that the sensitivity that accompanied the issuance of its position on Yemen was similar to what it announced after the outbreak of the Syrian revolution, via an official statement issued on April 2, 2011.
