Broad international condemnation of the Houthi attacks on international shipping routes in the Red Sea
Many countries around the world condemned the attacks carried out by the Houthi group in the Red Sea and their obstruction of international shipping traffic in the region.
The United States of America, the European Union, NATO and 44 countries said in a joint press statement issued at dawn on Wednesday: “We condemn the Houthis’ interference in navigational rights and freedoms in the waters surrounding the Arabian Peninsula, especially the Red Sea.”
The statement stressed that the numerous and “heinous” attacks emanating from Houthi-controlled territory in Yemen, including the December 3 attacks against three commercial ships in the southern Red Sea linked to 14 countries, “threaten the stability of the region, international trade, maritime security and its Serious economic impacts on the international community.”
The “international partners” indicated in their statement that the Houthis’ seizure of the “Galaxy Leader” ship last November 19 and the detention of its 25 international crew, who are still unjustly detained, is “a horrific matter,” as such behavior “It also threatens the movement of food, fuel, humanitarian aid and other essential goods to various destinations and populations around the world.”
The statement urged all countries to refrain from providing facilities to the Houthis or encouraging them, as “there is no justification for these attacks that targeted many countries in addition to those whose flags were raised on these ships.”
The "international partners" called on the Houthi group to refrain from launching further attacks on commercial ships in the vital waterways in the region, and to quickly release the hijacked ship, "Galaxy Leader" and its crew, unconditionally.
It is noteworthy that the most prominent signatories to the joint statement are: High Representative Josep Borrell on behalf of the European Union, Secretary General of NATO; Jens Stoltenberg on behalf of the Alliance, the United States, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, Liberia, the Bahamas, and other countries.
