Original Copy:

Saudis and Israelis Follow Same Military Patterns, Conducts

Rasa - The ongoing Saudi-led war on Yemen is relatively similar to the Israeli wars against Gaza. This includes their military tactics as well as their focus on civilian targets, blockade and ceasefire.

News ID: 425171

Date: 19 November 2016 - 21:28

RNA - Just like their Israeli counterparts, the Saudis say neither Saudi nor international laws are broken in aerial attacks that deliberately lead to civilian deaths in places like schools, markets and hospitals. They say no criminal charges would be made or disciplinary action taken against those involved in airstrikes that cause a direct and harmful effect on the entire civilian population  - a policy that has spurred worldwide condemnation.

Aside from these, Saudi Arabia and Israel share a set of behaviors in international arena as well. They both claim they are defending themselves and their airstrikes are aimed at “lawful” targets. They allege that resistance fighters and commanders are "Iranian agents" hiding in residential neighbourhoods, and that efforts have been made to limit collateral damage.

Other common cases include forming a bogus international coalition, targeting the regional Resistance Axis represented by Iran, drawing support and complicity of world’s organizations and powers, dismissing international norms beside imposing economic blockades and military siege. They also implement the corporate media power to launch a psychological warfare to fulfill their objectives – even when there is a cessation of hostilities.

For instance, Saudi Arabia has just announced a renewable 48-hour ceasefire that began at noon Saturday in Yemen. They say the truce will be extended if the Ansarullah movement shows commitment to it and allows "humanitarian aid" into areas under siege.

This truce will not last, even though the Ansarullah movement is observing it: Israel launched three failed wars against Gaza, killing and wounding tens of thousands of civilians, sometimes entire families. It has also blockaded the city for several years now, causing a humanitarian crisis. The Saudi-led military aggression has equally killed and wounded tens of thousands of civilians, making many more refugees. The illegal blockade is still ongoing. It's not just designed to worsen the humanitarian situation; it is there to prolong the “static war” and occupation on the Yemeni people – just like the endless Israeli blockade, occupation and war on the Palestinian people.

Mind you, the costly war has proven big business for the US and the UK – even if it has taken a massive toll on the Kingdom of Terror’s oil-dependent economy. The US military provides aerial refueling to Saudi bombers conducting airstrikes. Washington has also been providing drone-fed logistic and surveillance support to the Saudis in the bloody campaign. The British government has been providing training to Saudi pilots too. London is one of the biggest arms suppliers to Riyadh, including white phosphorous munitions and cluster bombs which have been used in populated neighbourhoods.  All this costs money.

That said, soon the United States will have a new president who says Saudis and other oil-rich Arab allies will also have to pay for their protection and outdated “special relationship”. Perhaps, it is here that Israel differs from Saudi Arabia, in that Tel Aviv gets all the military aid it can get from Washington free of charge.

But that's all really. The War Party in Washington will never free US Middle East policy from its Israeli-Saudi-centric, Cold-War-era thinking. It will never halt the Mideast carnage or alleviate human suffering either, let alone find more flexibility in making a strategic approach to Iran, advance security and peace in Syria, Yemen and Palestine, avert international condemnation, and effectively counter terrorism and extremism, whether Takfiri, Wahhabi, or any other variety.

The criminal hordes will continue to follow the same war patterns and conducts to pursue their stated objectives militarily irrespective of world opinion. They will continue to reject the very concepts for which International Humanitarian Law is based on today, a policy that is based on regime change, total exclusion, de-legitimization and refusal to recognize the ‘other.’ It reflects they are against the ‘people’ themselves.

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