National Call: Protest U.S. Enabled Blockade of Yemen

By Odile Hugonot Haber
Co-chair, Middle East committee of WILPF US

February 2022

We call on people around the country to protest the war on Yemen and demand their members of Congress pass a Yemen War Powers Resolution.

Since March 2015, the Saudi/UAE-led bombing and blockade of Yemen have killed tens of thousands of people and wreaked havoc. The blockade includes the closure of both air and seaports and prevents urgently needed resources from reaching the Yemeni people. Over 16 million people in Yemen lack food security. The country has the world's worst cholera outbreak in modern history, and now Yemen has one of the worst COVID death rates in the world: It kills 1 in 4 people who test positive. The pandemic and withdrawal of aid are pushing more people into acute hunger. The U.N. has called the catastrophe in Yemen the largest humanitarian crisis on Earth.

President Biden, during his campaign, promised to end U.S. weapons sales and military support for Saudi Arabia. On his first Monday in office, 400 organizations from 30 countries demanded an end to Western backing of the war on Yemen, creating the largest anti-war coordination since 2003. Just a few days later, on February 4, 2021, Biden announced an end to U.S. participation in offensive operations in Yemen. Despite President Biden’s commitments, the U.S. continues to enable the blockade – an offensive operation on Yemen – by servicing Saudi fighter jets and providing military and diplomatic support for the Saudi/UAE-led coalition. The blockade and resulting humanitarian crisis have only worsened since Biden took office.

The war on Yemen is only possible because Western countries -- in particular the United States, the UK, and France -- continue to arm Saudi Arabia and provide military, political, and logistical support for the war. The Western powers are active participants. We have the power to stop the world's largest human crisis.

People and organizations from across the U.S. are coming together to call for an end to U.S. involvement in the war in Yemen and solidarity with the people of Yemen. We demand that our members of Congress immediately and publicly pledge to:

•  Call on Saudi Arabia and the UAE to Lift the Blockade, Opening Airports and Seaports. Speak to President Biden by March 1st to insist he use his leverage with Saudi Arabia to press for the unconditional and immediate lifting of the devastating blockade.
• Pass a War Powers Resolution. Co-sponsor - or introduce if it has not yet happened - a Yemen War Powers Resolution before International Women’s Day on March 8th, if the blockade of the country has not yet been lifted, to stop war support for Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
• Stop Weapons Sales to Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Oppose further arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the UAE while the blockade starves the people of Yemen.
• Support the People of Yemen. Call for the restoration and expansion of humanitarian aid for the people of Yemen.

We ask individuals and organizations across the states to protest at the district offices of their U.S. House of Representatives members on Tuesday, March 1, with the above demands. Congress: Lift the Blockade. Stop U.S. Complicity in War on Yemen.

Please add your organization to this joint statement by clicking here. For more information, visit the Every 75 Seconds website or contact them at info@every75seconds.org.