NKMUI peel . | Bae set NANKING INTERNATIONAL ie BUN urel leona aca UNITED ons Eating kesiNcTR Siiacseon Dt Us 20 iTUNTIED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL Religions and Culture in the Middle East Section Lead-In Middle East is the cradle of three main monotheistic traditions: Christianity, Islam and Judaism. In the modem-day Middle East, Islam is the most popular religion in most countries, with over ninety percent of the population as followers. It certainly does not only significantly influence fork culture but is also often embedded in the institution of a state. While Christianity does not represent the major religion in any of the countries in the Middle East, Judaism is the fundamental of Israel, a once nearly destructed nation that gained rebirth after the Second World War. In this chapter, we will focus on the Islamic traditions in the Middle East, including the history that had shaped its relation with other traditions, and when the famous Sunni and Shi’a sects came around. Other than that, we are going to look at the origin of Christian and Jewish traditions and how that had impacted contemporary politics. Origin of Islam To understand the different religions in the Middle East, one must first be aware that they are created by people who had live in the same area but of different generations. Hence, it is not hard to imagine that they have a lot more in common than in diverse: myths, historical figures and doctrines. For example, the Hebrew Bible, known as the Tanakh to Jewish people or the Old Testament to Christians, are exactly the same book, although for Christians there is another New Testament that constitutes their Bible. In chronological order, Jewish culture first emerged centuries before the Common Era, and then it’s Christianity after the Common Era, and finally Islam in the 6th century. With that in mind, the origin of Islam certainly doesn’t stop at Prophet Muhammad, but is believed by Muslims to be connected to some earlier “Prophets” such as Jesus, Abraham (tribe leader of ancient Israel), David {king of ancient Israel), and Moses (prophet of ancient Israel). In Muslims’ view, a “prophet” is a messenger of their God, Allah. According to the Quran, Muhammad, the prophet who first spread the religion of Isiam, received divine revelations through an angle of God to maintain monotheism. It was a time with rising social injustice issue and a faith crisis under the influence of foreign religions for the Arabic. The Quran developed a series of codes of conduct which every Muslim should follow. In addition, the division of Sunna and Shi'a sects was based on the argument of the successor of Muhammad. Islam and Christianity SeeI wuun oa SER Other than the crusades which were direct evidence of heat conflicts between Islam and Christianity, the root of their controversy lies underneath their different understanding of the very same doctrine. Although the two religions both originated from Judaism, Christianity and Islam chose different approaches to address monotheism. In Christianity, Jesus is the “Messiah”, or redeemer. Christians believe that Israelites violated their “Covenant”, or the Old Testament, with God, which means they compromised their faith in God. (We will talk about this later.) Thus, Jesus wished to redeem for all humans with his life by forming a New Testament with them. The idea of “Trinity” held by Christians states that the Father, the Son (Jesus) and the Holy Spirit is “one God in three Divine Persons”. And that is the main rejection that Muslims have over Christian traditions. They see “Trinity” as a disguised form of polytheism, and Jesus as not the son of God or a Messiah but only a prophet. Islam acknowledges that Moses and Jesus are prophets of the God, and that ‘the Old and New Testament are both revelations from God besides the Quran. However, Muslims does not follow the former two because they have been distorted too much. But both Christianity and Judaism view the Quran as a fake Bible and Muhammad as a fake prophet. The difference in comprehending monotheism was the fundamental conflict that turns Christianity and Islam, two religions with the same origin, against each other. History of Israel Ancient Israel was a once weak nation that was constantly stuck between other powers: Egyptians, Neo-Babylonians, Assyrians, etc. Thus, a large part of Judaism is the belief that by believing in God, he will protect Israelites. Before the Babylonian Exile which smashed such hope, the idea that God punishes and rewards accordingly was elevated to high status. Prophets tried to convince people that by relying on their own Covenant with God and attain righteousness and social morality, God will save the Israelites. In the Hebrew Bible, stories of the three earliest kings of Israel Saul, David and Solomon were told. By showing how their service for God brought rewards while disobedience to God's orders resulted in trans- generational consequences, prophets hoped to strengthen the ethical monotheistic faith among Israelites. The “punish and reward” model was also known as the Deuteronomy. Then the Neo-Babylonians swiped the area and overran Jerusalem, the holy city for Israelites, in 586 BCE. All out of a sudden the Deuteronomy became a false hope in which God failed to protect Israel from the invasion. Reflected in the Hebrew Bible, prophets used the Book of Job to reject the Deuteronomists and establish the new conduct code based on the integrity of faith, which basically elevated the faith in God from a “spiritual barter” to a true and pious belief. After the Babylonian Exile, Israel was ruled by Persia, Greece, Rome, Byzantium, and finally the Ottoman Empire. Israelites were gradually forced scattered around the globe, but their religion was preserved and taken with them. Since the 19th century, a growing number of Jewish people returned to Palestine, and they called for the rebirth of Israel. This marked the beginning of tlleUNTIED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL conflicts between Israelites and Muslims in modem time. In 1947 the General Assembly ruled to divide half of Palestine for Israel. Jerusalem as the holy city for both Judaism and Islam, however, was under the trusteeship of the United Nations. On May 14 1948, Israel declared independence and was immediately drawn into an independence war against the rest of the Arabic world.k q NkMUN SER Country position China, Egypt, the USA Leading-in Before we continue to analyze the attitudes of China, Egypt and the United States towards the Yemeni crisis behind their actions, we should bare it in mind that their relations with those countries involved (especially Saudi Arabia and Iran) play an important role when drawing the conclusions. China and the United States, while trying to maintain benign diplomatic relations with countries in the Middle East, are in fact trying to trade with the Middle Eastern countries for bountiful energy resources they possess. In the light of this idea, both two countries have established corporations in Yemen and assisted the government. Moreover, because China and the United States are two of the permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, they should support U.N-led operations. As a result, their standpoints may share some basic similarities. However, since there still remain differences within the two countries’ diplomatic policies and their engagements in the concerned area, their specific decisions may differ to a great extent. For China, the non-interference foreign policy which has long been employed has restrained it from conducting concrete actions and offering financial or military aids to the parties concerned. What’s more, China is caught in a dilemma for it has no intention to antagonize any one of its economic partners. As for the United States, which is currently scorched by the Iran nuclear deal, choosing a side seems like a cinch. Nevertheless, operations performed by the U.S. received objections at home. More analyses would be seen in the following paragraphs.UNTIED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL Hatsune mmx Etats iota — at ata, nat aes ausen (op (oan ‘ape HB estes0% airs Pasde 7% 270% Pls dso al Pardes cites Erte 706t90% par = tome s0et70% Bm ene semmainmisitn @ = spelen eI ADH ACI EEE coe Egypt, being a powerful state in the Middle East, may choose a position in accordance with its religious preference. Since the Houthis are Shia Muslims and over 90% of its population is Sunni Muslims, it is rather clear which side Egypt would support. In the following parts, we would take insights into the actions of the three countries mentioned above and make further analyses accordingly. China Owing to its non-interference foreign policy, China FSRaINEUINEUEFAlIO ver military actions against Houthi rebels, appealing for diplomatic solutions. The official spokeswoman of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs claimed that China hoped all parties involved in the crisis resort to peaceful national dialogue according to the United Nations Security Council's resolutions as well as other significant documents and agreements such as the Gulf Cooperation Council Initiative and National Partnership Agreement, and that China appreciated all the efforts made by 5 ———————————————I wuun oa SER concerning parties and was looking forward to seeing Yemen restore its domestic stability and normal order. China established diplomatic relations with Yemen in 1956 and has since then set up 14 joint ventures. To protect Chinese personnel that have been sent to. Yemen and its proper rights, the Chinese government called for a political solution to Yemeni crisis. However, as the Yemeni Civil War was fought between a government supported by Saudi Arabia which is an important regional economic partner of China and rebels supported by Iran, a country which is also regarded as a vital regional economic partner by China, it became rather hard, or to put it more precisely, nearly impossible for the Chinese government to choose a side. The remaining feasible solution was to apply a neutral attitude towards the crisis if China had no intention of arousing hostility in the two aforementioned countries. As a result, China chose to stand in the middle when other countries may support or condemn Saudi-led intervention in Yemen and support for cutting Houthi’s access to arms and weapons. Nevertheless, it also called for ceasefire and demand solving the crisis smoothly by introducing political means. As for the rapid response of evacuating its citizens from the war-stricken areas in Aden, which received a global compliment and was marked as an impressive humanitarian and diplomatic triumph, China was determined to show the rest of the world the strength of its navy warships and its ability to protect all its citizens no matter where they were. In this way, China treated the Yemeni crisis as where it can achieve its strong strategic purpose. Egypt The Tunisian Revolution, began in 2011, not only marked the beginning of Arab Spring but also ignited following revolutions which broke out in countries such as Libya, Egypt and Yemen. Being a member of the Arab League as well as a country which has long been afflicted by riots and insurgencies, Egypt has clarified its stand ‘on the Yemeni crisis. At the opening of the 27th Arab League Summit, Egypt's prime minister along with other Arab leaders stated the determination to conjure away the grimness of terrorism that shrouded the region. It is said by Yemeni Foreign Minister Riyadh Yassin on March 26th, 2015 to reporters before the Arab League Summit, that ‘Egypt has to play the main role in solving the Yemeni crisis since Egypt is a key player in the region’. However, the Egyptian foreign ministry's spokesman denied the report, +claiming that his country had no intention of carrying out military intervention in Yemen. Yet people all around the world were surprised to witness Egypt's standpoint shifting later that day when the Egyptian Ministry of foreign Affairs asserted that its government praised necessary military actions as well as political and military support provided by other countries to Yemeni(governmentfor the purpose of smoothing over the tense situation of the crisis it was suffering from. It was also announced that Egypt was under the process of cooperating with other Gulf countries such as Saudi Arabia and preparing for the upcoming military actions if the situation continued to tlleUNTIED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL deteriorate. Egypt reaffirmed its respect for the official government of Yemen and urged to open up national dialogue. United States of America Since March 2015, the United States has been helping Saudi Arabia along with its allies to repel Houthi rebels due to its long-term cooperation with Saudi Arabia. Such a coalition was essential especially under the situation where the US-Iran relations were degrading because of the Iran nuclear deal. His retirement and president Donald Trump’s inauguration did not change the decision made by president Barack Obama who quoted the Authorization for Use of Military Force as a rightful reason for the States’s involvement in Yemeni crisis. The United States provided mid-air refueling for Saudi and UAE warplanes which were used to in military actions carried out in Yemen. It also helped to locate targets during the bombardment and shared intelligence with the Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states. Such behaviors may clearly state the United States’ standpoint of the Yemeni crisis. Although the U.S. government intentionally avoided direct military aids, its advice on intelligence sharing and targeting procedures for Saudi-led countries created a stir in domestic. Those who were opposed to the government's decisions deemed the coalition’s operations as harm to humanitarian. H.CON.RES.81, a bill which was drafted for the purpose of restraining the government from further involvement, but was postponed for an on-the-record vote. One of its sponsors, a Democratic Representative named Ro Khanna tweeted on his Personal account, claiming that such activities as air strikes which would cause numerous civilian casualties were unauthorized and could result in ‘creating a security vacuum that allows groups like [ISIL] to gain a foothold’. As conflicts and crisis continued, the United States is now making an effort to adopt a different measure. Pentagon chief Jim Mattis said on 31 Oct 2018, “the US. is calling for all warring parties to meet with United Nations special envoy Martin Griffiths in Sweden in November and come to a solution.” Iraq Introduction The crux of the Yemeni civil war brings to light the numerous humanitarian and religious problems of the nation and is an example of the ever-destabilised middie eastern region ever since the Arab Spring. The civil war that started in 2015 encompasses the wider, geopolitical agenda, highlighting the instability of nation politics within the region, and on how external actors have much to blame for Yemen's problems. In early 2000s, Ali Saleh and Abdrabbuh Hadi were the two most powerful men in Yemen, as President and Vice president respectively. However, a power struggle led to Saleh stepping down to allow Hadi to ascend to the top post. His ascension to the throne sparked retaliatory actions from the Houthi movement of Shia Muslims, as well as members of the security personnel and persons still loyal to Saleh. As 7 SeeI wuun oa SER pro-Saleh forces gathered in strength in the North-Western region of the country, they launched a complete takeover of Yemen, forcing Hadi to flee to neighbour Saudi Arabia ("Yemen crisis: Why is there a war?”, 2018). The September 21 revolution saw Houthi forces capture the capital city of Sana'a, leaving incumbent president to declare Aden the temporary administrative capital of Yemen. Houthi forces were successful in controlling most of Western Yemen, holding key cities Saleef and Dahyan (Dewan, 2017). This forcible takeover of the Yemeni government by Houthi forces led to increasing discontent for the movement, especially from neighbouring countries. Saudi Arabia led a coalition made up of several other gulf nations and launched an inquest into Yemen, kickstarting the chapter of external intervention in this debacle (“Yemen's complicated war explained”, 2018). As the Houthi Movement was staunchly supported by the Republic of Iran, it directly challenges the Saudi’s authority over the region. Additionally, as Saudi Arabia shares an 1,800 Kilometre border with Yemen, Houthi movement along it would pose a potential security risk for the Sunni-Saudis. As major geopolitical players in the middle east, the Houthi takeover was a pre-emptive attempt towards challenging Saudi and Sunni dominance in the middle east, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is not prepared to succeed control. Launching numerous airstrikes onto key Houthi-held territories, coupled with additional logistical backing from NATO, the Saudi-led coalition is determined to prevent a Shia-led government take over Yemen, thus controlling a huge stake in the region. An important country such as Yemen, which possesses unmolested autonomy over the red sea, has complete control over crucial oll routes to and from the region. This makes involvement by external actors in this conflict even more pertinent, as whosoever controls oil routes will bring the entire region to its knees. Iraq-lran Relations Due to the 1979 Iranian Islamic revolution, war broke out between Iraq-lra in the 1980s. 8 years and over a million casualties later, a ceasefire was implemented by the United Nations forcing both parties to end the bloody war. Relations after that was stagnant up till 2003, when Saddam Hussein — an openly Sunni Arab which detests Iran - was overthrown. As the new Iraqi government under the control of the Islamic Dawa Party —a pro-Iranian Shia faction — relations were normalised. Today, the relationship between both parties are stronger, as both presents one united front against the Saudi-led Sunni nations. As the US seeks to gain a foothold in the region, having Iran is necessary for Iraq to stand a chance in the geopolitics of the region. As both parties are actively participating in the wars of the Middle East (i.e Syria, Yemen, Bahrain), withJaGtiveledoperation With!RUSSIa| as well as the Houthi Movement, Iraq has made it clear that its allegiances lie with Iran. However, an uphill task faces them as they're tossed into the Iran-Saudi cold war, one which heavily outnumbers the former. As Iraq continues to battle ISIS insurgents within their borders, their hands are tied. Little can be done to further consolidate their position in the region, and the glass ceiling may just break if the mounting pressure gets worse from here on. tlleUNTIED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL Iran Iran-USA relations “ran knew this was coming”, said Mike Pompeo when President Donald ‘Trump withdrew the US from the 2015 Iran Nuclear Deal. The huge U-turn marred a historic event, which would’ve meant Iran would stop its Nuclear programme research in exchange for reduced trade sanctions. However, other members of the agreement (UNSC permanent 5+1 Germany, and the European Union) can do little if Tehran does plan on restarting its nuclear program due to violation of the agreement (Fritze, 2018). With pro-Saleh forces still in-contro! of the capital Sana’a, Iran have one foot in the door. However, keeping the US and KSA at bay would be crucial. lran-Saudi Relations Both nations have deep-rooted history of rivalry and hatred towards one another. With only Iraq separating these two countries, the conflict stems from religious differences. Saudi Arabia — the birthplace of Islam and a monarchy that has. mounting political influence over the region — has been cautious of Iran’s rise ever since the 1979 Iranian Islamic revolution of the nation, which saw the Iranians overthrow the monarchy-based method of governance for a theocratic state. Under Ayatollah Khomeini’s rule, the spreading of such ideology was neces consolidate their position in the middle east, thus resulting in the spread of Shi In the present day, the 2011 Arab Spring uprising saw widespread political instability in the Middle East and Norther Africa. Both Saudi Arabia and Iran sees this as an opportunity to expand their influence (Marcus, 2017). For one, it is to maintain quorum and control over the region. The other, to wrestle themselves out of the corner and retaliate. Iran-Russo relations ‘As Donald Trump pushes for more trade sanctions to “choke Iran's economy” (Shesgreen, 2018), Iran are forced to confide in Russia and China. However, this is a blessing in disguise as. (Central ASial. Being principal allies in the Syrian conflict, as well as primary supporters of the Houthi Movement in the Middles East and Africa, Iran has become an important component in Russia's foothold in the region. In the 2015 Iran Nuclear Deal, Russia promised to have missile defence systems delivered, as well as supplying Iran with numerous other military resources. Iran must maintain its battle for control over the region; it cannot afford to lose to the Saudi coalition. Russia and China remain its strongest allies to-date, and control of Yemen top priority. Russia Russian intervention in Yemen? Seek q kun SER 3 years ago, a video surfaced online depicting Yemini locals, predominantly children, holding up cardboards and posters with messages of thanks to Russia and Putin for supplying them with much-needed humanitarian aid ("Yemen: "Thanks Russia" - Yemenis thank Russia for support and humanitarian aid”, 2015). This comes after Russia's constantly rejects the notion that they have been playing a part in the Yemen conflict. However news outlet RT, the supposed owners who shot and posted the video, has been labelled by many to be a “propaganda channel” (Dowling, 2017) for the Russian government to influence voters back home. Russia's involvement in this debacle has been an open secret: their ardent support for the Houthi movement in-general has been a red flag for NATO and its allies. As Russia-USA continues their usage of proxy wars around the globe, Yemen could also be merely just one of those in the mix. However, reiterating Yemen’s strategic location as guardian of the red sea, Russia's non-involvement would've been uncanny. As self-anointed governor of the word order, Putin has increased efforts to influence the politics of the region. Former Permanent Russian ambassador to the UN Vitaly Churkin, a few days before his death in 2017, brought to light of the strict travel restrictions imposed on foreign journalists in entering Yemen, citing a ban imposed by Saudi authorities. Additionally, he compared the situation to that of Syria considering increased difficulty in the transportation of humanitarian aid, calling it “in terms of its fabric, maybe even more complicated than the conflict in Syria.” Russia-Saudi relations In 2015, the Russian consulate in the port township of Aden, off the coast of Yemen, was damaged by Saudi-led airstrikes in the city. Aithough the compound was empty during the time of the attack amidst heavy fighting in the vicinity, the consulate was damaged quite heavily. Adding insult to injury, the plane that was supposed to pick up Russian officials stranded in Yemen was turned away by Saudi jets. Although an agreement was in-place for the aircraft to land beforehand, permission was later denied (“Russia’s Yemen consulate damaged amid Saudi-led airstrikes”, 2015). Besides this, Russia and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have not been directly involved in the fighting within Yemen as of late. Currently, the Russian foreign consulate of Yemen has set-up-shop in its capital of Riyadh, fulfiling their duties ‘there. Relations between the two nations are relatively stable as of late, as both countries have been cooperating in terms of stabilising its oil markets as well as maintaining its bilateral relations in such tumultuous periods (Mabon, 2018). RUSSI€| ind its allies during the Qatar blockade, citing that it has no intentions on taking sides. Additionally, RUSSIa’S|HOt! As America tries to strongarm their influence on the Kingdom by claiming Ahmed Abdulaziz Al Saud as rightful heir to the throne, Russia fears that another potential proxy leader for the Americans would sever their influence in the region (Tattersall, 2018). Therefore, completely stepping side by playing observer would be foolish. However, do note that FUSSialis’a SUporten for the |HOUthiImovement| one 10 tlleUNTIED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL which Saudi clearly despises. As the conflict drags on, it would become more apparent that Russia is ready to enter the ring, this time without just humanitarian aid. Russia’s actions, however they wish to play it, have massive consequences. If provoked, the Saudi-led coalition of gulf states and NATO members would stop at nothing to rid the Houthi rebels and its allies. Russia-Iran relations As Donald Trump pushes for more trade sanctions to “choke Iran's economy” (Shesgreen, 2018), Iran are forced to confide in Russia and China. However, this is a blessing in disguise as both Iran and Russia look to tightening US influence in Central Asia. Being principal allies in the Syrian conflict, as well as primary supporters of the Houthi Movement in the Middles East and Africa, Iran has become an important component in Russia's foothold in the region. In the 2015 Iran Nuclear Deal, Russia promised to have missile defence systems delivered, as well as supplying Iran with numerous other military resources. Russia would have to choose sides if Iran and Saudi Arabia does engage in direct warfare with one another. Saudi Arabia Operation Decisive Storm In March 2015 a Saudi-led coalition began bombing Houthi rebels (who previously forced Yemen’s president, Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi, into exile). The intervention is claimed to be in compliance with Article 2(4) of the UN Charter, but after the Saudi-led coalition declared the entire Sada district a military target, the UN's Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen and Human Rights Watch declared that air strikes by the Saudi-led coalition on Saada city in Yemen were in breach of intemational law (Miles, Tom 2015)". ‘A number of countries, including Egypt, Morocco, Jordan, Sudan, UAE, took part in Operation Decisive Storm; Djibouti, Eritrea and Somalia all made their territorial waters, airspace as well as their military bases available to the coalition. The US and UK deployed their military personnel in the command centers responsible for Saudi-led air strikes on Yemen, having access to lists of targets. (BBC Radio, 2015)* International Response Towards the Coalition The UN recognizes the government of Hadi, currently in exile in Riyadh. However, support for the UK-US position at the UN is fraying. At the end of February Russia vetoed a UK draft resolution that included a condemnation of Iran's Violation on UN arms embargo in Yemen over claims that it supplied the missiles used to fire towards Riyadh. Instead the UN security council passed a narrower * Miles, Tom (9 May 2015). "Saudi-led strikes in Yernen break international aw: U.N. coordinator’. Reuters US, * 7 Aptil2015, "SOMALIA: Somalia finally pledges support to Saudiied coalition in Yemen - Raxanreeb Online’. RBC Radio. 11 Seek q kun SER Russian resolution reinstating the arms embargo but making no mention of imposing sanctions on Iran for supplying missiles. Future Possibilities(Wintour, Patrick 2018)? Two developments have recently taken place have risked making an already stalemated war even more intractable. In December in Sana’a, Houthi rebels accused Ali Abdullah Saleh of taking a conciliatory approach to Saudi Arabia and killed the former president. In January, fighters allied with the pro-secession Souther Transitional Council (STC) and surrounded the presidential palace in Aden, the seat of the internationally recognized goverment of Yemen. Their presence forced the prime minister to flee and demonstrated that the bond between the two in their fight against Houthi rebels had come to an end. Saudi Arabia has not given up on a military victory but its differences with the United Arab Emirates, its greatest ally in the Middle East and coalition partner, over the next steps have made a solution difficult to achieve. Israel Israel’s Entry into the Yemen Conflict On August 2nd, 2018, during a speech at a naval parade in Haifa, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threatened to deploy the Israeli military to Yemen if the country’s resistance movement blocks the Bab al-Mandab Strait on Yemen's western coast. (Whitney Webb 2018)' The geostrategic position of the trait was arguably the reason why the Saudi Arabian-led coalition interfered with the war against Yemen to begin with. The trait connects the Red Sea to the Arabian Sea and has the potential to be used as a chokepoint on global oil trade. Furthermore, Israel's entry into the Yemen conflict is more likely caused by Israels increasingly close relationship with Saudi Arabia and the fact that although with superior firepower and funding, the Saudis aren’t capable of winning militarily against Yemen's rebels. The coalition remains unable to wrest Hodeidah from Yemen's control, as Yemen’s rebels grow ever bolder, making increasingly frequent and deep incursions into Saudi territory and launching attacks on Saudi naval vessels. 5 Wintour Pattick (8 Mar 2018) “Why is Saudi Arabia in Yemen and what doesit mean for Britain?” The Guardian “ Whitney Webb{ August 2nd, 2018 "Netanyahu Declares Israel's Readiness to Join Saud-Led Bloody War on Yemen MPN News 12 tlleUNTIED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL Turkey Government's Attitude® Turkey enjoys deep-rooted historical and cultural ties with Yemen. Since the outset of the ongoing crisis in Yemen, Turkey has supported the resolution of the problems through peace and dialogue and on the basis of respect for legitimacy. Since the forceful seizure of Sana’a and the government institutions by Houthis, Turkey has been supporting the legitimate Yemeni Government and advocating an inclusive political settlement based on the established parameters (eg, the UN Security Council Resolution No. 2216 and the GCC Initiative and the outcomes of the National Dialogue Conference). In this regard, Turkey keeps supporting the efforts of the UN towards a political solution and closely follows those efforts by being part of the G-18 group. Reasons for Turkey’s support on Operation Decisive Storm ‘Ankara vowed to provide the Saudis with intelligence and logistical support in Yemen, yet not with direct military support. The support for Operation Decisive Storm was logical because, at least for the Turkish government, the Saudi-led campaign contributed to a wider effort to resolve Yemen's conflict and to restore the country’s legitimate state authority back in power. The elaborated reasons are listed hereinafter. First, the Houthis’ rejection of UNSCR 2201 and refusal to withdraw from the governmental institutions in Sana'a meant that the Iran-allied rebels were responsible for Yemen's deteriorating situation. Therefore, Turkey lent support to the intemationally-recognized government of Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi. These actions were underscored by visits to Turkey paid by Hadi and delegations representing his government. Moreover, Ankara opposed Tehran's meddling in Yemeni affairs through Iranian sponsorship of the Houthi rebellion. Erdogan went even further by accusing Iran of trying to dominate the region through its sectarian agenda, stating that “[Iran] has to withdraw any forces, whatever it has in Yemen, as well as Syria and Iraq and respect their territorial integrity.” ‘Second, during King Abdullah’s final few years on the throne, Riyadh shifted its regional priorities from solely concentrating on Iran to focusing on the perceived threats posed by the Islamic Republic in addition to movements in Arab countries that disrupt collective efforts in the region to counter Tehran (the Muslim Brotherhood) as well. This allowed Iran to increase its influence in Yemen further, including allowing the trainings from the hundreds of Lebanese and Iranian advisors provided by Iran to further translate into military strength on the ground.( Mareike Transfeld, 2017)° Yet when King Salman assumed power in January 2015, Riyadh became less focused on the Muslim Brotherhood and more on improving ties with 5 "Bilateral Political Relations between Turkey and Yerien’ Republic of Turkey, Minsty of Foreign Affairs © Mareike Trensteld (February 14, 2017) “an's Small Hand in Yemen Sada Midge East Analysis 13 Seek q NkMUN iCElin Doha and Ankara to counter Iran. The role of Saudi Arabia's then-Crown Prince was crucial in this regard. Results From that point on, the Turkish role in the Yemeni crisis has varied in range and type shifting between politics, security, diplomacy and humanitarianism depending on the situation on the ground and Riyadh’s position regarding Turkey. Turkey may have shifted its priorities away from Yemen, but it can still play a positive role in trying to alleviate some of the endless human suffering. Once the dust settles in Yemen’s civil war, Turkey may retum to be a far more influential player in the country due to the reach of its soft-power (Baker, Cafiero 2018)’. " Bake, Catero{ May, 1,2018) "Turkey's influence in Yemen” TRT World 14 tlleCOUNCIL UNTIED NATIONS SECURT Reference 1.*China impresses with Yemen evacuation” #4#[%] 9 Apr 2015 Retrieved from http//www.china.org.cn/opinion/2015-04/09/content_35276837.htm 2. “China calls for political solution to Yemeni crisis” #4209] 27 Mar 2015, Retrieved from http://english.sina.com/china/2015/0326/795729. html 3. “CHINA'S MIDDLE EAST FOREIGN POLICY AND THE YEMEN CRISIS CHALLENGES AND IMPLICATIONS” Mordechai Chaziza Retrieved from http//www.docin.com/p-1450219463.htm! 4.https://en.m.wikipedia.ora/wiki/Arab Spring “Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Libya top Arab League summit agenda” Al Jazeera. 26 Jul 2016 Retrieved from https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/07/syria-iraq-yemen- libya-top-arab-leaque-summit-agenda-160725132729802.html 5."Arab FMs to discuss Yemeni crisis in Egypt meeting” #i“#)4 26 Mar 2015 Retrieved from http://www .xinhuanet.com//english/2015-03/26/c_134097408.htm 6. “RRADLHE BTM! 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Whitney Webb( August 2nd, 2018 )*Netanyahu Declares Israel's Readiness to Join Saudi-Led Bloody War on Yemen” MPN News 13. “Bilateral Political Relations between Turkey and Yemen” Republic of Turkey, Ministry of Foreign Affairs 14, Bakeer, Cafiero( May, 1, 2018) “Turkey's influence in Yemen” TRT World 15. Dewan, K. (2017, September 21). Remembering the September 21 Revolution in Yemen. Retrieved December 27, 2018, from https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20170921 -remembering-the-september-21- revolution-in-yemen/ 16. Marcus, J. (2017, November 18). Why Saudi Arabia and Iran are bitter rivals. Retrieved December 28, 2019, from https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east- 42008809 17. "Yemen's complicated war explained” (2018, August 10). Retrieved December 26, 2018, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkyXDDXzPyw 15 Seeke 16 NKMUINi SER 18. “Yemen crisis: Why is there a war?” (2018, December 18). Yemen crisis: Why is there a war? 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