‘We will defeat the Houthis one day,’ Yemeni activist tells the 'Post' - exclusive

“I oppose the Houthis. I dedicate several hours every day to expose the crimes and oppression of the Houthis in my country – on social media, on TV, in the field, organizing marches and events, speaking at the UN. Everything I do I dedicate to this topic,” said Majda Alhaddad.

Originally from Ibb in Yemen, Alhaddad is a women’s rights and peace activist who currently resides in the US. In her first-ever interview with Israeli media, she told The Jerusalem Post that traditionally conservative Yemen has seen new laws since the Houthis came to power. “The Houthis... assault women and girls who wear pants; they arrest them, beat them physically. They threaten them so that they change the way they dress,” she said. “Houthi authorities arrest and kidnap women because of their political opinions. This has never happened in Yemen until now. Many women were sentenced to death, and there are currently an estimated 2,600 women in prison just because they resisted marriage.

When asked why she thinks some anti-Israel groups support the Houthis, Hadded replied: “The first thing is ignorance. They don’t really understand the truth of who the Houthis really are. I try to dedicate my work to exposing the terrible things they do.

“There are those who tell me that ‘we love Yemen and appreciate Yemen for what they do for Palestine’ but I always make sure to explain the issue to them thoroughly,” Alhaddad said.

“Only last week I was at a clothing shop and the cashier was of Palestinian origin. When she heard I’m Yemeni, she gave me a gift and said that ‘it’s because we support the Palestinians.’ I told her that there is a big difference between the Yemeni people and what the Houthis are doing, which is worse than what she’s being told about Israel. What they’re doing in the Red Sea is outright terrorism.”

As for the second reason, Alhaddad mentioned general apathy toward peripheral Yemen. “Global and Arab media are not interested in Yemen; the Arabs were never interested in Yemen either. 10 years of war and I haven’t seen a single Lebanese or Syrian or Palestinian talking about the bombing and killing of Yemeni children. 10 years of war and destruction and kidnappings, and I haven’t seen any international outlet telling about these crimes. So why are people supporting Houthis? It’s all about ignorance and racism. I always write – is the blood of a Yemeni child not equal to that of a Palestinian child?”

Alhaddad said she and other Yemenis respect Yemeni Jews, which she did not feel was shared across other countries. “I noticed that the Yemeni people are not like others. I don’t want to make generalizations, but overall, in places like Lebanon and other countries, I saw more hatred for Jews than in my own environment. Yemen is just not like that in its roots. The Houthis and the Muslim Brotherhood try to justify their hatred of Jews by turning to religion, but the everyday Yemeni is more prone to be proud of the Jews for preserving Yemeni heritage.

Alhaddad makes sure to share content related to Yemeni Jews on her social media outlets. “Many Yemenis know Israeli singers such as Ofra Haza and Zion Golan. Sure, when I share some of this content I am accused of being ‘a Zionist’ or ‘a Jew,’ but I personally just love the Jewish people.”

This is Alhaddad’s first interview with an Israeli outlet. “I am very happy to talk to an Israeli newspaper. Even on October 7, when I saw the terrible footage from the attack, I wrote against it and got much hate directed at me. They threatened to rape and kill and burn me, but I will not budge,” she added proudly.

“I am very happy to be pro-peace, against terrorism, and against October 7. Jews are human beings just like any Muslim. I hope that this war will end and there will be peace, no matter what they call it. Only that the Palestinians and Israelis live in peace without threats from any terrorist organization.

‘Yemenis are proud of Jews for preserving our heritage’

WHEN ASKED what her main messages to those who would read her are, Alhaddad highlighted three main points that she thinks are, “important for readers in Israel and the Jews and the whole world.”

“Firstly, that the Houthi regime is a rebellious regime, in that it revolted against a legitimate government which was already in the process of national dialogue and establishing a constitution. This terrorist group brought upon the death of over 500 thousand Yemenis; their existence is illegitimate, and nobody must give them any legitimacy.”

‘We will be free one day’

The second point has to do with the Houthis’ military actions, which they claim are for the sake of the Palestinians. “The Houthis have never ‘defended’ neither Gaza nor the Palestinians. All they do with their current actions is whitewashing their crimes using the Palestinian issue as their pedestal. They spread their propaganda and some believe them, but they never did anything for Gaza or for the Palestinians.

“Lastly, we will be free one day, and we will defeat the Houthis. Those who love the Yemeni people should be against the Houthis. I posted a pro-peace video once and got two million views with many cursing at me. I am paying personal prices, but one day they will all know that we were right. Let it take a year, a generation, or a century – in the end, everyone will know that we were right, and peace will prevail.”