US lawmaker calls to halt military support for Saudi Arabia

US Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna said he hoped a resolution could be passed that puts an end to US military support for Saudi forces in their war against Houthi rebels in Yemen.

“We have to work to provide food and medicine to the Yemeni people, to end the Saudi siege and to invite other countries to provide assistance in providing these materials and medical staff,” Khanna said during an interview to be aired on Al Jazeera.

“Yemen suffers from the biggest humanitarian crisis at present where about one million people suffer from cholera and seven million are on the verge of famine,” the Congressman said, adding that the second priority for the United States is to stop providing any assistance to Saudi Arabia in its campaign against Houthi rebels including not supplying it with fuel for its warplanes, and not helping it set targets for its bombing campaigns.

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“We have to make it clear to the Yemenis that we have no role in bombing their country or helping the Saudis in their quest to oust the Houthis,” Khanna said.

He also criticised Riyadh for blaming the Houthis alone for the civilian deaths and the spread of famine and cholera in Yemen, explaining that while the Houthis are not innocent and have committed crimes, the main cause of the emergence of cholera is the Saudis who prevent the access of food and medicine to the affected areas.