An analytical reading of Al-Jaradi’s statements and the positions of the Islah Party

Yemen, at the critical historical moment it is going through and the dangers that surround it, needs political leaders with great national awareness and loyalty, unshakable faith in the justice of the national cause, and a great readiness for sacrifice and bravery in waging the battle of national dignity in its various dimensions and levels. They need to have a high level of understanding of national history, the tools and determinants of historical conflict, and an awareness of the lived reality with all its complexities, ramifications and multiple perspectives. They need to possess high capabilities, a critical political imagination, a broad national horizon and a realistic analytical methodology.

On the anniversary of the founding of the Yemeni Congregation for Reform, many discussed its role and achievements, and the challenges and failures that accompanied its journey over more than three decades in the life of the blessed unity state, whose establishment was coupled with the democratic pluralistic path. This was discussed from different perspectives and multiple opinions. Many praised the occasion with sincere love, and a few with an unfair and far-fetched vision.

One of the most systematic and conscious visions, aware of the nature of the stage, keen on the unity of the republican ranks, and precisely defining the national compass, and a direct direction towards the national battle against the Imamate, and the necessity of restoring the state; is the one embodied by the journalist, political writer and party leader, Mr. Ali Al-Jaradi - Head of the Media and Culture Department of the Yemeni Congregation for Reform - according to what was stated in his last television interview with the "Yemeni Youth Satellite Channel", within the program "From the Other" presented by the journalist Abdullah Dobla.

Through an analytical reading and a systematic presentation, we can deduce and present visions, trends and reform policies, through this exceptional meeting, according to the following axes:

The first axis:

National constants (the republican system and the September Revolution)

Al-Jaradi was unique in all his interviews by starting with the common root and the authentic origin that all Yemenis cling to, and that is immortal in the conscience of the Yemeni land and people, represented by: the republican system and the glorious revolution of September 26.

He linked the establishment of Islah to the republic, in existence and nonexistence, in time and place, and considered it a tool of the republic, unity and state, saying: “The month of September is the month of the birth of the Yemeni revolution, the establishment of the republic, and the birth of the Yemeni Congregation for Islah,” considering that this “blessed coupling is embodied today by Islah, as it is the party of the republic and national unity par excellence, and a barrier against the imamate, priesthood and racism in its new and worst version, which is intended to be imposed on the Yemenis.” “And Islah stands at the forefront of the ranks with all its Yemeni partners to restore the republic, God willing.”

The second axis:

National battle and restoration of the state

1- Centralization of the restoration of the state and the federal system

In the political theory of reform, the issues of the homeland take precedence over its partisan interests and organizational needs, because they are the basis of its formation and the essence of its basic system and political program, at the forefront of the national forces struggling to restore the state.

Among the strategic goals of Islah at the current stage are the centrality of restoring the state and building a federal, pluralistic Yemen, in accordance with what the Yemenis agreed upon in the Comprehensive National Dialogue Conference. It is a clear and well-defined strategy and a struggle for which Islah has made great sacrifices.

This is what Al-Jaradi put forward in a sophisticated political style, and in a clear language with clear meanings and connotations. He stressed that: “The future belongs to the Yemeni people, and that despite the state of weakness and external aggression, Yemen will recover and emerge from its ordeal to safety, and its people will lead their ship with their independent national decision, according to their national dignity and national interest, no matter how much Iran tries to make Yemen a launching pad to implement its goals and disturb the region, and tries to make Yemen the muzzle of a gun.”

The head of the Islah media called on the Yemeni people to continue working and not to despair, and to work to overcome the stage of disability and weakness with more hope and work, and even monitoring and accountability without ever stopping working for the goal that everyone seeks and has made great strides in it. He stressed that: "Just causes are not outdated by time, and that the demand to overthrow the militias, the demand for the centrality of the legal state, Yemeni legitimacy and its institutions, and the demand to lay down arms are fixed demands.."

2- The danger of the Houthi militias to Yemen

When Islah fought with all its might against the priesthood, it turned into a national resistance project and a popular mass with a pure Yemeni identity, proud of itself and its national dignity, forming the most important levers of the comprehensive national project.

Within his political career, and in all his literature and programs, Al-Islah clearly and without any ambiguity defined the necessity of confronting the dangers of the return of the Imamate and its remnants, and stood against all calls for arrogance and deviation from the constants, values, and constitution of the Republic, the most important of which are: equality in rights, freedoms, and duties for all the people.

Regarding the nature of the enemy, its destructive goals, and its dependence on external powers, Al-Jaradi describes the Houthis as “a gun in the hands of Iran,” reviewing the crimes committed by the militias against the people, and praising the steadfastness and sacrifices of the Yemeni people and the victories they have achieved in their national battle with the sectarian militias.

While Al-Jaradi praised the “steadfastness of the Yemeni people throughout these ten years of the coup and the Houthi war,” he noted in his speech that “the people, in the areas controlled by the Houthi militia, are demanding their liberation,” and explained that the Houthi militia “views Yemeni society as a different society, in which it does not see its image. Therefore, it is working to crush and change it.”

Al-Jaradi reviewed what the Yemenis are suffering in the areas controlled by the terrorist Houthi militia, which is inflicting suffering, oppression and tyranny on the Yemenis, and views them as subjects, adding that more than 80% of the Yemeni land is under the control of the Yemeni legitimacy, and that everyone, including the Transitional Council, agrees that the Houthis are an existential threat at this moment.

Regarding the political process and the faltering peace negotiations, Al-Jaradi ruled out the possibility of reaching peace with the militia, stressing that the Houthis will not accept peace unless it is broken militarily so that they submit to peace, and so that the Houthi militia does not remain a threat, not only to Yemen, but to the neighbors as well. He stressed that the Houthis "see peace as a war tactic, a means of collecting money, and an attempt to neutralize the Arab coalition, because they imagine that they can monopolize the rest of the Yemeni powers and geography, which is an illusion, and they have tried it in the past years."

Regarding the Houthi militia’s claims of supporting the Palestinian cause and Gaza, the head of the Islah media said, “The militia uses Palestine and Gaza as a doormat to wipe away the blood of the Yemenis it has killed.” He pointed out that the militia’s operations in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, and its threats to international navigation under the pretext of fighting Israeli interests, have harmed Yemen’s economy and affected the livelihoods and livelihoods of Yemenis.

For more.. watch:

Exclusive interview with Mr. Ali Al-Jaradi, Head of the Islah Media Department | From the Other

The third axis:

The role and position of reform and its national positions

Al-Jaradi presented a philosophical and combative vision of the role and position of Islah, praising the party's sacrifices in the national battle. He said: "Islah represents the national mentality that benefits peace, stability, construction and national work." He stressed that "troubled mentalities, whether geographical, racial or ethnic, are not useful in building homelands."

“I consider that ‘Islah is the party of the republic and the party of national unity par excellence. This party is present from Al-Mahra to Saada, from the east to the west, and among all segments of Yemeni society, with what it embodies of an objective state, as an objective unity on the entire national territory, and it has overcome all racist, racial, and sectarian calls, and calls for fragmentation, and it is truly considered the size of this country. From this perspective, it is considered one of the most important parties and national and political levers at this moment, maintaining its cohesion as a single, unified party despite the targeting that it has suffered... and Islah is still, and will remain, God willing, the most important and effective figure in the Yemeni arena. We celebrate the party as a tool of the republic and unity.”

The fourth axis:

National political system

According to Al-Jaradi, Islah believes in the importance of preserving the political system and parties, and that the alternative will be the gun, military force, and all pre-state sectarian, racist, and regional formations. Therefore, its best, most appropriate, and safest alternative is political life and political pluralism. From this standpoint, celebrating parties is a celebration of politics.

1- The Southern Issue

Al-Jaradi said that the Islah Party and all national forces understand the southern issue as a key to a fundamental solution to the Yemeni issue as a whole, noting that there are discussions taking place for it, and the Transitional Council is present today and represented in the Presidential Council, the government, and the rest of the Yemeni state institutions.

I believe that "chaos does not produce unity or separation. There will be no unity or separation without the existence of a state. There must be a struggle to restore the state. Under the Yemeni Republic, nothing prevents a new political discussion and dialogue to discuss this issue, but the most important thing now is to restore the state. Any division project now will reproduce itself, and if we turn into weak areas, it will be easy for others to devour us."

2- Legitimacy institutions

Regarding the achievements and failures of the legitimate institutions, and the challenges facing them, Al-Jaradi noted that “the shortcomings and some errors in some of the actions and practices of the Presidential Leadership Council and the government are often also met with inappropriate media exaggeration, at the expense of the tangible successes and achievements that do not receive the same attention.”

He stressed three steps that could contribute to improving and developing the capabilities of the legitimate institutions, which are: the return of the Leadership Council and state institutions to the interior, searching for and developing resources, and paying attention to the army and security, including unifying forces while paying attention to their standard of living and the standard of living of citizens.

3- National Bloc

The reform presents national commonalities, expands the circle of dialogue with the nation’s partners who believe in the republican system and the federal state, and forgets its weight and entitlements in favor of creating national consensus and forming a historic national bloc to restore the state.

In this context, the head of the Islah media department stressed that: “Today, Yemenis face an existential enemy and a real danger that threatens the republic, and the parties that believe in the republic and national and political work must work to rid Yemen of this danger.” He stressed that it is necessary to struggle to restore the state and the republic, and that the continuation of the Houthis is a danger that threatens every inch of the Yemeni Republic in the north and south. This necessitates that all parties and national forces overcome the past with all its pain and wounds, and that the past should be a lesson and a warning for them, and that they should learn that the cracks that occurred in the national ranks are the ones through which the enemies of the republic infiltrated.

Fifth axis:

Yemeni-foreign strategic alliances

Regarding the relationship with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Al-Jaradi explained that “Al-Islah is the only party that stipulated in its political program a positive relationship with the Kingdom,” referring in this regard to the special relationship that linked the head of Al-Islah, Sheikh Abdullah bin Hussein Al-Ahmar, may God have mercy on him, with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, adding: “We also believe that we have a special alliance relationship with it now...we are allies.”

Al-Jaradi referred to the nature of the strong ties that link Yemen to the Kingdom, saying: “We are not looking for alternatives. Geography has its logic, and there are ties of neighborhood, culture, extension and overlap. I cannot import my neighbors, just as the Kingdom cannot import its neighbors.”

He added: "We have a special relationship with the Kingdom, and we also seek to develop it further, as well as with the rest of our brothers in the Arabian Peninsula, the Gulf, and the rest of the Arab and friendly countries. We want to strengthen these relations in a way that serves our country, its institutions, our people, and our stability."

Finally:

From the above, we can say that what distinguishes Islah is that it is a national school for struggle, thought and politics, and a human reservoir of competencies.

Professor Ali Al-Jaradi is one of the best and most honest leaders of the Islah Party, who possesses great analytical and political ability, a superior journalistic and media school, and is capable of directing public opinion and creating successful national alliances.