Editor condemns Houthi spokesperson’s justification for attacks on Saudi airports

Interview and Initial Reaction

Faisal J. Abbas, Editor-in-Chief of Arab News, commented on Sky News UK’s interview with Houthi militia spokesperson Mohammed Al-Bukhaiti.

Abbas described the interview as excellent because presenter Yalda Hakim is a renowned journalist who does not need his endorsement, remained neutral, impartial and professional, leaving the door wide open for Al-Bukhaiti to hang himself and expose the true colors of the evil cult he represents.

He cited an Arabic saying that translates to “the excuse is worse than the sin”, saying it applied to Al-Bukhaiti’s answers about why the group, which falsely claims to be Ansar Allah, attacked a civilian airport in Riyadh, as well as holy sites and pilgrims.

Abbas quoted Al-Bukhaiti’s response: “Why did Saudi Arabia not stop operations in these airports? Why did they gamble with civilian lives?”

Abbas’s Critique of Houthi Justification

Abbas said this shows the Houthis’ hypocritical use of religion as a cover while attacking the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah, or pilgrims in a civilian airport, if it serves their political purposes, and that they are villains who blame the victim, likening it to a rapist who says that had his target not been wearing revealing clothes, they would not have been a target.

Abbas said he mourns all innocent lives lost in the conflict, that every life lost is a life too many, but at the same time he is glad that the whole world is seeing the truth of this devilish militia.

When pressed further, Al-Bukhaiti said the war was Saudi Arabia’s fault for starting it 10 years ago, Abbas reported.

Abbas noted that, as an Iranian regime puppet, Al-Bukhaiti omitted that his clan overthrew Yemen’s legitimate government and that Saudi‑led efforts were part of an international coalition to restore legitimacy, accusing the Houthis of exposing the country to hunger, poverty and destruction.

He added that, until a few months ago, Houthi leaders had been happily engaging with the Kingdom when it suited them and when they thought they would be part of the future government.

Abbas drew a parallel with Hezbollah in Lebanon, stating that those who have “sold their soul to the devil in Tehran” justify all wrongdoing and the civilians lost on both sides as a means to an end, even though that end serves someone else’s interests.

Debate Over Media Platforming

Abbas said he disagrees with critics who fault Sky News and Hakim for giving a platform to Al-Bukhaiti.

As a newspaper editor, he acknowledged arguments against such practice and, as a professional who cut his teeth in London, he is aware of the restrictions that were once imposed by the BBC and others on platforming the IRA.

However, he observed that local social media posts are split between those wondering where is the international outrage and those who say Sky should not have spoken to the Houthis.

Abbas asserted that we cannot have it both ways, commending Hakim for paying attention to the horrific terrorist attack that targeted a civilian airport, while other international news channels covered it in passing.

He concluded that it is not Hakim who should be questioned about her professionalism but the channels that did not cover this attack the way they would have had a terrorist group attacked JFK, LAX or Heathrow.

Faisal J. Abbas is the Editor-in-Chief of Arab News. X: @FaisalJAbbas.