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News India Live, Digital Desk: In the politics of the Middle East, it is not easy to understand when friends become enemies and when old enmities cool down. Yemen, which has been suffering the brunt of war and starvation for the last several years, is today caught in a dilemma where the strategies of our own people are more at odds with each other than that of the enemy. Yemen, the country for which Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) had once joined hands, has today become a new ground of tussle between these two powers.
There is a rift in the alliance?
The story started with a united front against the Houthis. Initially Saudi Arabia and UAE were moving forward with the same goal. But as time passed, the interests of both the countries started changing. Experts say that Saudi Arabia’s priority has always been the security of its borders, so that missile attacks by Houthis can be stopped. At the same time, UAE is eyeing the strategically important ports and maritime routes of Yemen.
game of different supports on the ground
This bitterness can be clearly seen within Yemen. On one hand, Saudi Arabia is supporting the internationally recognized government of Yemen, while on the other hand, UAE is strengthening the ‘Southern Transitional Council’ (STC) i.e. the separatists. The result is that not just one, but many small wars are going on simultaneously on Yemeni soil. When two elder brothers give fertilizer and water to different groups in the same house, it is obvious that the house will never be peaceful.
Competition for leadership among Muslim countries?
This dispute is not just about the supremacy of a small country, but is also part of the race to become the ‘biggest player’ in the Muslim world. The UAE today wants to create an economic superpower as well as an independent military and diplomatic identity, which was not possible by always living in the shadow of Saudi Arabia. On the other hand, Saudi Arabia, under the leadership of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, wants peace in the region to make its ‘Vision 2030’ successful, but it is not ready to loosen its grip on Yemen.
Whose loss, whose gain?
This growing diplomatic coolness between Saudi Arabia and UAE is a new matter of concern for the entire Arab region. If these two forces get entangled with each other, then the Houthis and through them Iran can get the most benefit from it. But if anyone’s life is the cheapest on this entire ‘Grand Chess’ board, it is the people of Yemen. That public, which has been sitting in the hope for years that someday the sound of shells and missiles coming from outside will stop.
At present, the situation in Yemen is moving towards an ‘undeclared war’, where friends seem to be becoming thorn in each other’s side. In the coming times, all eyes from Delhi to Washington will be on whether Riyadh and Abu Dhabi are able to resolve their differences or not.
