Yemeni Sunni who opposes Houthis: "We'll step on Israel's neck"

An unusual conversation conducted in Arabic by Kikar HaShabbat's Arab affairs correspondent with a young Sunni Muslim from Yemen offers a complex glimpse into the currents running through the Yemeni street. The youth, who belongs to the Salafi stream, made clear that despite the deep revulsion he feels for the Shiite Houthis, his attitude toward Israel is no different.

During the conversation, which took place while the Yemeni youth sat chewing qat in the best local tradition, he made no attempt to hide his harsh positions. "With Hashem's help, we'll step on Israel's neck," he said openly and firmly. Later in the conversation he added: "With Hashem's help, the day will come when we liberate Palestine."

The significance of the conversation lies precisely in the speaker's unique identity. While the Israeli public is accustomed to hearing threats from Yemen coming from the Houthi rebels, identified with Shiism and operating under Iranian patronage, this time the voice comes from the opposite camp entirely.

The youth belongs to the Salafi-Sunni stream, which is in profound disagreement and sharp conflict with the Houthis and the Shiites in Yemen. Despite his fierce opposition to them, when it comes to Israel he did not spare harsh words and direct threats.

The conversation demonstrates that internal rivalries in the Arab world and opposition to the Iranian axis do not turn those same actors into friends of Israel. It offers a glimpse into the complex picture in Yemen and the region as a whole: the ideological split and internal disputes may be sharp, but hostility toward Israel remains a common denominator across camps and streams.

The findings from the conversation fit with a broader picture of the reality in Yemen. In recent days it was reported that US President Donald Trump revealed that Israel is providing active assistance to Saudi Arabia in its campaign against the Houthi rebels from Yemen. According to assessments, Israeli assistance to Riyadh has so far focused on passing quality intelligence on targets.

At the same time, a ballistic missile attack by the Houthis on a training camp of security forces in Yemen left 73 dead and more than 200 wounded this week. The attack occurred on Monday, October 19, in Shabwa province in the south of the country, during training of new recruits to the security forces.

The conversation with the Salafi youth underscores the great complexity of the reality in Yemen and the region. Even when there is fierce opposition to the Houthis and the Iranian axis, it does not automatically translate into a moderate or friendly position toward Israel. Hostility toward the State of Israel remains fixed and deep, regardless of internal disputes in the Arab and Muslim world.