Israel, Gulf rapprochement could worry Yemen, Iran
Israel is concerned over growing Iranian entrenchment in Yemen, not unlike the way Iran operates in Syria.
The US Department of State issued a statement Nov. 10, calling for the immediate and unconditioned release of Levi Salem Musa Marhabi, imprisoned for the last four years by the Houthi militia in Yemen. "Marhabi is one member of an ever-shrinking community of Yemeni Jews, who have been an important part of Yemen’s diverse social fabric for thousands of years. We call on the Houthis to respect religious freedom, stop oppressing Yemen’s Jewish population, and immediately release Levi Salem Musa Marhabi," the statement read.
Nine days later, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrived in Israel for a three-day farewell tour. Was the issue of Marhabi evoked in his meetings with Israeli authorities? Reports did not mention that. Still, American authorities have been preoccupied with the case of Marhabi for a while now. Last August, US Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism Elan Carr implored the Houthis to free Marhabi, warning that "the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen have a record of persecuting religious minorities."
