The head of the Executive Office of the Yemeni Islah Party in Taiz Governorate, Mr. Abdul-Hafiz al-Faqih, said that "the rapprochement that has recently occurred between the various political components in Taiz is an important step on the right path for the unity of the republican ranks," hoping that this rapprochement will be reflected in the course of the fight against the militias Houthi.

In an interview with the alsahwa.net news website, al-Faqih added, "The duty today is for everyone to strive towards achieving ranks unity and standing together in the face of the enemy of Yemen and the Yemenis," pointing out that "the Houthi militia is disturbed by this rapprochement because it is the only beneficiary of the difference between political components and the imbalance of the Republican ranks, as happened previously on September 21, 2014.

Al-Faqih made it clear that "The secret behind Taiz's steadfastness is the awareness and unity of its people who are resisting the Houthi project and their certainty of the danger of this backward, racist dynastic project pervading the country," noting that Taiz was the popular incubator and had a major role in supporting the popular resistance and the national army during the past years.

He pointed out that, in Taiz, the price of victory and resistance is very large as the Governorate has so far offered about 8,500 military and civilian martyrs, and more than 25,000 wounded, including 1,400 disabled people.

Al-Faqih called on the leadership of legitimacy and the Arab Alliance to support the national army and the popular resistance in order to complete the liberation of the Governorate, adding, "The national army and the popular resistance should be in a state of constant alert because Houthi has no covenant."

The text of the interview as quoted from the source:

- At the outset, we would like you to tell us about Taiz and where is it, today?, especially after difficult years and steadfastness in the face of Houthi and the solidity of the popular resistance project that adheres to the state. Can we say that Taiz and its people won the bet?

- By the grace of God, Taiz achieved a victory in favor of the revolution and the republic and stopped the retarded Houthi dynastic advance. After more than eight years of struggle and resistance that started from an area not exceeding 2 square kilometers inside the city, Taiz was able, thanks to its free sons and all its residents, to completely liberate 18 Directorates, including three Directorates partially, out of 23 Directorates, and soon, God willing, the Houthis will be defeated and removed from Taiz and then from Yemen completely.

 

- What is the secret behind Taiz's steadfastness in the face of the Houthis all these years, despite the scarcity of capabilities, the siege, and the continuous bombing of residential neighborhoods?

- The secret is the success that God granted them, then the awareness and unity of the free sons of Taiz who resist the Houthi project as well as their certainty of the danger of this backward, racist dynastic project on Taiz and Yemen, present and in the future, then after that comes the readiness of all the resistance fighters to sacrifice everything expensive and cheap, where their motto was the saying of the Almighty: (Indeed, Allah has purchased from the believers their lives and their properties [in exchange] for that they will have Paradise. They fight in the cause of Allah, so they kill and are killed. [It is] a true promise [binding] upon Him in the Torah and the Gospel and the Qur'an. And who is truer to his covenant than Allah? So rejoice in your transaction which you have contracted. And it is that which is the great attainment.), and the price of victory and resistance was very great, as to date, Taiz has offered about 8,500 military and civilian martyrs, and more than 25,000 wounded, including 1,400 disabled people.

Also, one of the most important secrets of Taiz’s steadfastness throughout all these years is the popular incubator to whom we extend our great greetings, as it was and still is the supporter of the resistance and the army and made great sacrifices for that, and despite the scarcity of capabilities, the siege and the continuous bombardment, Taiz is steadfast and victorious.

- How do you assess the Islah Party's relationship with the rest of the political parties and forces in the Governorate?

The Islah Party's relationship with all the political forces in Taiz is better than good, and they all are one hand in the strategic positions and the main positions, and it is a continuous and developing relationship. The person observing the situation should consider the unified positions on important matters such as confronting the terrorist Houthi militia, building the state, or agreeing on a comprehensive national project because these are positions about which there is no difference, but rather they are a common goal for all parties in Taiz.

 

- The Islah Party, especially in Taiz, has been subjected to propaganda campaigns from multiple sides... Can we say today that reality belied that propaganda?

- As for the targeted propaganda campaigns, we in the Islah Party do not pay much attention to them because they, in fact, clash with the state of awareness enjoyed by the people of Taiz, who distinguish well between right and wrong. As for the constant debate about Taiz and the discrepancies that appear in the critical opinions directed against the party, we accept these criticisms and they reflect a healthy state of active political action in public life. We believe in this diversity and the positive situation in evaluation and monitoring to prevent any imbalances that may occur here or there.

 

- What is your assessment of the political process in Taiz and the activity of the parties in it?

- The Governorate of Taiz has a civil character, and it is the city of political action, from which the Yemeni parties were founded and contained the revolutionaries of September and October. It was known as a city of culture with its national and republican dimensions, and I believe that Taiz is almost suffocating in the atmosphere in which there is no party activity or when there is no freedom of the press and cultural movement.

It is a city that has a historical role in supporting the unitary republican national project because it is a city that has no goal other than the goal of the republic and the values of the democratic state. In such civil values, the existence of political parties, political action, and respect for opinion and other opinions are required.

In any case, the political parties in Taiz continue to carry out their political activities at a time when they need the protection of political action. The political parties are striving hard to maintain joint work and avoid deficiencies that may occur due to the pressures of war and siege, but they continue to develop permanently. For your information, Taiz formed a political alliance of parties before it was formed by the central parties. Party activity in Taiz has not stopped, and freedoms have not been affected to this day. This is Taiz's advantage, as it believes that this country can only be managed through joint action. And in times of crisis, we are in dire need to activate the national alliance because we are in one ship and our crucial national issues are one and passing through a historical challenge and existential dangers.

Any difference in secondary matters is considered normal. What is important in the matter is to properly manage this difference that serves Taiz and the crucial issues such as preserving the republic as an identity, restoring the state, and ensuring the continuation of dialogue in order to achieve a political system based on the peaceful exchange of power and equal citizenship.

 

- Do the Islah Party and other parties and forces have a common vision to end the Houthi blockade?

- Yes, we have a common vision with the political forces and the local authority, and we presented it at the time to the official committee assigned by the presidency for the dialogue that took place between the legitimacy delegation and the Houthi delegation in Jordan under the auspices of the United Nations. There were activities taking place in conjunction with those talks that took place in May 2022. These activities were represented in marches and vigils at the ports in support of the dialogue committee, but those talks reached a dead end due to the intransigence of the Houthi delegation and its refusal to open the roads and end the siege.

 

- What has the Islah Party presented to Taiz Governorate and to political life during the past stages?

- If you mean from the beginning of the war, the Islah Party has provided a lot and has not claimed credit and benevolence for itself in that because it is a legal and patriotic duty, where we, in the Islah Party, have provided the political, media, and social effort, not to mention the active participation with everyone to confront the Houthi terrorist militia, where there were martyrs, wounded and detainees. The Islah Party - with the rest of the forces loyal to Taiz - has exerted and is still exerting everything it can for the victory of Taiz with its popular resistance and national army until the completion of liberation.

As for regarding the political aspect, the Islah Party cooperated with the rest of the parties and social forces in forming the resistance council, joining the Joint Meeting Parties in it, participating in the continuation of the work of the Joint Meeting Parties during the war, and then forming the political bloc of the Taiz parties, as well as the National Alliance branch in the Governorate.

 

How would you describe the rapprochement that took place recently between the various components and parties of political and national action in Taiz?

- The rapprochement that is strengthening between the national forces is considered the most important step on the right path for the unity of the republican ranks against the enemy of the republic and the revolution, and Taiz always stands with the unity of the republican ranks and the forces of legitimacy against the Houthis.

 

- In your opinion, what are the reasons for the Houthi militia's concern about this rapprochement and its attempt to thwart it?

- The Houthi militia's concern about this rapprochement falls under the context of bridging the gap that they have benefited from during the past years, and the militia coup against the state on September 21, 2014, did not happen except in the light of the existence of a gap of difference, imbalance and cracking of the Republican ranks. Therefore, this rapprochement and the agreement of the Republican ranks disturbed this militia and they worked and are still working to thwart it with all their media outlets, websites, and cells, and they have more than twenty media websites working against Taiz as well as working to destabilize security, stability and splitting the Republican ranks.

 

- Will this rapprochement have a tangible impact on the course of the battle with the Houthis? And are there common perceptions?

- Yes, God willing, there will be an impact on the course of the battle, and this is what we all hope, and also there is a perception that there is no doubt that it exists among the stakeholders and specialists.

 

- How do you assess the security performance and the role of the security services in Taiz? I mean successes and failures?

- The security performance is good, despite the lack of capabilities provided by the government and the local authority's abandonment of security support. However, despite this, the security services are achieving great success, and they have worked to thwart attempts by the Houthi sabotage cells to target security and stability inside the city.

 

- Operating government electricity has been a popular demand for years... Why do the political parties not work to push the local authority to reoperate the electric power?

- Government electricity has been cut off for more than eight years, and the local authority has not fulfilled its duty to reoperate it, despite the demands of political parties and citizens to do so. In this regard, a committee was formed to follow up - but as if you talk to a brick wall - rather, the local authority did not stand with the citizens to protect them from the greed of the merchants of private electricity companies, where the price of a kilowatt reached a thousand riyals, and the citizens bear those burdens at a time when the local authority stand idly by.

 

- What about the file of other public services? And what about the performance of the local authority in this regard?

- Public services in general are weak or non-existent and do not rise to the level of the challenge of war and siege that Taiz is experiencing, and the performance of the local authority is weak in terms of services.

 

The sons of Taiz - male and female - achieve multiple successes and distinctions at the regional and international levels, where the sons of Taiz achieved more than 12 awards in international forums during the past six months.. What are the denotations of that? And what is your role in encouraging these talents?

- These successes achieved by the people of Taiz Governorate, the patient and steadfast in war and siege, were thanks to God and His success, and then thanks to its serious, persistent and intelligent sons who faced the challenge of war and siege with knowledge, seriousness, perseverance, diligence and excellence, and thanks to the support of their families and standing with them, and then thanks to the efforts of teachers and administrators in education and in other educational institutions, universities, Holy Quran memorizing schools and the Taiz cultural incubator, and the Islah Party is part of this society and it supports and encourages morally and provides material support as much as possible.

 

- How do you view the ongoing talks between the legitimacy and the Houthi militia in order to stop the war? And is there a possibility of achieving a lasting peace with the Houthis?

- We are with the approach that supports dialogue, peace, and stopping the war, but does the Houthi really support that approach?!! During the past years, the Houthi did not abide by any agreement, starting with the comprehensive National Dialogue Conference and then the Peace and Partnership Agreement...etc. Houthi did not adhere to a covenant or a charter, and the possibility of achieving lasting peace with the Houthi can be reached if the Houthi adheres to the three references, which are: The Gulf Initiative and its Executive Mechanism, the outcomes of the comprehensive National Dialogue Conference and international resolutions, especially the UN Security Council Resolution No. 2216, then ending the coup and handing over arms to the state, is the Houthi ready to do that?

 

- Well, do you think that Iran will continue its work in accordance with its subversive activity in Yemen, especially after the agreement that took place between Iran and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia?

- We hope so.

 

- Do you have a final message you would like to direct?

- Yes, I have. We call on the leadership of legitimacy to support the national army and the popular resistance in Taiz to complete the liberation. We also call on the brothers in the Arab Alliance, especially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, to support the liberation of Taiz, and the national army and the popular resistance must be in a state of permanent alert because the Houthis have no covenant. The security services should also be fully prepared to pursue the Houthi subversive terrorist cells that are sent to carry out sabotage operations and disturb security and stability, and at the same time, we call on those elements deceived by the Houthi militia to return to their senses and their families because the Houthi project is going towards extinction and then only the homeland will last.

Finally, I congratulate the Yemeni people, the political leadership, the government, the national army, and the men of the popular resistance stationed on the fronts, and we also congratulate all the leaders, members, and loyalists of the Yemeni Islah Party on the advent of the blessed month of Ramadan, which we ask God to make it a month of goodness, blessings, security, stability, and victory.