Raya Jalabi in Beirut
Sun Jan 28 2024, in Irish Times from Financial Times
Islamist group is winning praise for defending Palestinians. This praise deflects scrutiny of its increasing repression at home
His wavy hair billowing in the wind, Rashed al-Haddad looked into the camera as his dinghy neared the Israeli-linked cargo vessel that has become an unlikely tourist attraction since it was seized late last year by Houthi rebels.
In a video recorded in the shadow of the Galaxy Leader, now languishing off the Yemen coast, the photogenic 19 year old told his legion of new social media followers that all Yemenis were “with Palestine until victory” and called on them to maintain their support for Gaza.
“We thank God for the Houthis,” wrote one Iraqi commenter under one of Haddad’s viral Instagram posts, a sentiment echoed by hundreds of others. “They’re the only Arabs helping Palestine.”
FULL ARTICLE HERE – https://www.irishtimes.com/world/middle-east/2024/01/28/thank-god-for-the-houthis-why-arab-world-is-backing-yemen-rebels/
