Egypt's Sisi asks parliament to authorise the defence of Saudi Arabia against the Houthis, if Riyadh asks
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi on Saturday 17 October asked parliament to hold an emergency session to authorise Egypt to act in defence of Saudi Arabia, if the kingdom requests it. "I call on parliament to convene an emergency session to authorise us to take action to intervene in defence of Saudi Arabia, if we are asked to do so," he said at a military academy graduation ceremony, The National reported. "I am not speaking about attacking or waging war. We are seeking only to defend."
On the same day, The Guardian reported, citing sources in Yemen, that the United Arab Emirates has agreed to resume payments to some Yemeni government forces fighting the Houthis, with Saudi Arabia providing air cover in return. The paper did not quote either government.
What Sisi said
- The ask: an emergency session of parliament to authorise action "if we are asked to do so," according to Ahram Online, Egypt's state-owned English news site. Ahram said the authorisation is conditional on a request from Riyadh.
- The limit: "We do not want to fight or attack anyone. We will only defend Saudi Arabia," Ahram quoted him as saying.
- The message: "We are not looking for a role to play, but it is absolutely unacceptable for us to allow the kingdom of Saudi Arabia to be targeted," he said, The National reported.
- The run-up: Ahram said the pledge followed his warning on Thursday that threats to Saudi Arabia affect Egyptian and Arab national security.
- The vote: Egypt's House of Representatives will hold a plenary session at 1 pm on Sunday 18 October following Sisi's request, Ahram Online reported, citing a parliamentary announcement.
What the UAE report says
Southern forces, mainly in the Giant Brigades, were previously trained and funded by the UAE and are regarded as some of the most effective in the anti-Houthi coalition, The Guardian reported. The UAE quit operations inside Yemen in January, cutting off that funding, after Saudi Arabia bombed UAE arms shipments for the separatist Southern Transitional Council, the paper reported. The Guardian called the deal the first tangible sign that the rift between the two Gulf states over Yemen is starting to heal. It also reported that neither Saudi Arabia nor the UAE has answered the separatists' demand this week for a referendum on southern secession.
Why it matters
Saudi Arabia is facing daily drone and missile attacks, with Houthi strikes immobilising its airports and some of its energy infrastructure, The Guardian reported, and the government counteroffensive declared last week has had limited success. The Houthis struck Aden's airport on Friday, a day after an attack on the presidential palace there, The Guardian reported.
WatchfulEye's read: Riyadh's partners are lining up, but each offer comes with a condition. Egypt's is a defensive authorisation that only takes effect if Saudi Arabia asks, and Sisi did not say what forces Egypt would send. The UAE's is money for specific Yemeni units, reported by one newspaper citing sources in Yemen, with no on-record word from Abu Dhabi or Riyadh. Neither is a pledge of troops on the ground in Yemen. The real tests are what Egypt's parliament authorises on Sunday, whether Riyadh makes a formal request, and whether the separatist Southern Transitional Council lets its troops fight beyond the old southern border, which The Guardian reported it has not yet agreed to do.
Open questions
- What exactly will Egypt's parliament authorise at Sunday's session?
- Will Saudi Arabia formally ask Egypt for help, and for what?
- Will Abu Dhabi or Riyadh confirm the reported UAE funding deal?
- Will Saudi Arabia answer the southern separatists' referendum demand?