B’nai Brith Canada has launched a letter-writing campaign urging the Government of Canada to list the Yemen-based Houthi movement (Ansar Allah) as a terrorist entity.
The letter, addressed to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Minister of Foreign Affairs Melanie Joly and Minister of Public Safety Dominic Leblanc, notes, “This action is not only necessary, but justified, due to their significant involvement in violent terror-based activities which have included the unprovoked launching of rockets and drones at Israel and the continued targeting of commercial shipping vessels in the Red Sea.”
It adds that the Houthis’ actions “have far-reaching implications that extend beyond the borders of Yemen, affecting regional stability and posing a direct threat to international peace and security.”
“Canada’s commitment to global peace, security, and the rule of law calls for decisive action to combat terrorism. By listing Ansar Allah as a terrorist organization, Canada will send a clear message that it stands against terrorism and supports efforts to promote the growth of democracy in the Middle East,” the letter says.
B’nai Brith Canada and the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Education (FSWC) recently released a joint statement imploring the Government to use the Anti-Terrorism Act to list Ansar Allah as a terrorist group.
“The Houthi Movement’s disregard for international law presents a global threat and warrants a firm response from Canada,” said Richard Robertson, B’nai Brith Canada’s Director of Research and Advocacy. “We call on all Canadians to join our campaign to compel the Government to stand against terrorism by listing Ansar Allah as a terrorist entity.”
The Houthis have upped their attacks in the region since the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel. The US then formed a coalition, made up of more than 20 countries, aimed at safeguarding commercial traffic in the Red Sea from attacks by the Houthis.
In mid-January, with support from other countries, the US and Britain targeted just under 30 Houthi locations with 150 different weapons. The two countries have continued to strike Houthi targets since.
Earlier this week, the leader of the Houthis, Abdul Malik al-Houthi, said that the group will further escalate if the Israeli attack on Gaza does not stop.
In a televised speech, al-Houthi said the group will "seek to escalate more and more if the barbaric and brutal aggression against Gaza does not stop, along with the siege of the Palestinian people from whom they deny aid and medicine."