Riyadh Condemns US Senate Resolutions on Yemen War and Khashoggi

Saudi Arabia has condemned the United States Senate resolutions regarding the end of military support for the Riyadh-led coalition and the designation of Mohammed bin Salman as 'responsible' for the murder of Jamal Khashoggi. In a statement released on December 16, the Saudi Foreign Ministry stated, 'The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia condemns the latest positions of the US Senate, which are based on unfounded claims, and firmly declares that it will not accept any interference in its internal affairs.' The statement from the Saudi Foreign Ministry was published by the country's official news agency. The US Senate passed two resolutions on December 13, one of which identifies Mohammed bin Salman, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, as 'responsible' for the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, while the other calls for an end to US military support for the Saudi-led coalition in the Yemen war. The Republican Senate Majority Leader called for a positive vote from senators on the resolution concerning Jamal Khashoggi, as it seems to have support from both the Democratic and Republican parties and also raises concerns about Yemen. The crisis in Yemen began when the Houthis, who are supported by Iran, took power in Sana'a from the government of Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, after which Saudi Arabia formed a coalition and launched a campaign to restore Hadi's power. Three years later, researchers and observers describe airstrikes in Yemen as one of the main factors in the widespread humanitarian crisis in the country. The United States has supported the Saudi-led coalition in restoring power to the Hadi government, which is still recognized as the official Yemeni government by the United Nations. This issue was also reflected in the non-binding resolution passed on December 13. Senators voted 56 in favor and 41 against, recommending that the US government stop supporting the Saudi-led coalition in the Yemen war. Meanwhile, Nikki Haley, the US ambassador to the UN, recently emphasized during a meeting regarding Yemen that the issue of Iran being the 'cause of the crisis' in Yemen also needs to be addressed. On the same day the US Senate resolution was passed, the parties involved in the Yemen war reached an agreement on a ceasefire in Hodeidah. The issue of Jamal Khashoggi's murder is another matter that several senior lawmakers in the US Congress have directed severe criticism towards the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia. Mr. Khashoggi, a critic of Mohammed bin Salman who had settled in the US and was writing for the Washington Post, was murdered in early October after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul by security agents sent from Saudi Arabia. Lindsey Graham, a Republican senator supportive of Trump, has become a staunch critic of the Crown Prince in the context of Khashoggi's murder; Senator Graham recently stated, 'It is harmful for the United States to cooperate with Mohammed bin Salman and his murderous regime.' Saudi Arabia has repeatedly emphasized that Khashoggi's murder has no connection to its Crown Prince. Officials from the Trump administration, including the Secretary of State, have also stated that current intelligence assessments do not lead to a direct conclusion that Mohammed bin Salman ordered the murder. However, these statements did not affect the recent Senate resolution's passage. According to reports, the CIA has concluded in its investigations that Mohammed bin Salman most likely played a role in Khashoggi's murder. The US President announced in late November that his administration would remain a 'steadfast partner' of Saudi Arabia even if Mohammed bin Salman was aware of the murder's planning.