Even as the Arab states condemn Israel for "brutal massacres" and "mass annihilation" against Arabs in what has become known as the intifada ("uprising"), many of these same Arab states have implemented far more brutal methods to end uprisings in their own lands.
The latest headlines out of Yemen provide a very good example of this hypocrisy.
According to the Yemeni press this past week, security forces in Yemen "found" 120 bodies of supporters of a local intifada against the state, including many relatives of the leader of the uprising, during what they called "mopping up operations". 200 other supporters of the rebel leader were summarily arrested.
The latest figures are only part of the more than 500-person death toll of the Yemeni government's violent struggle to crush a local intifada by members of a minority Islamic sect in recent months.
Commenting on the remaining Zaidi rebels earlier this month, the Yemeni army's Chief of Staff, Muhammad Al-Kasimi, said, "We warned them to surrender or face a similar military attack." Al-Kasimi added that negotiations with the rebels are impossible, because, among other things, they want to continue provoking violence against the US and Israel and they want the withdrawal of the Yemeni forces from areas under their influence, in addition to seeking compensation from Yemen for the rebel leader and his supporters.
Led by a self-declared cleric of the Zaidi Shi'ite sect of Islam, Hussein Bader Eddine Al-Houthi, Zaidis in the north of Yemen began a "rebellion" against the central government. Formed by Zaid, a great-grandson of Muhammad, the Zaidis believe that the true Islamic descendant of Muhammad must publicly assert his claim to the title of Imam and seek to overthrow corrupt regimes run by unacceptable rulers.
Yemen Times reported the text of a statement issued by the besieged Zaidis: "In name of Saadah [the last holdout of Al-Houthi loyalists] men, we address the humanitarian organizations and associations and those of conscience and the World's free men to relieve them and cease this wild war, which the governmental authority is practicing against them, in addition to the villager militias, the Arabs and the Yemeni Afghanistanis."
The latest headlines out of Yemen provide a very good example of this hypocrisy.
According to the Yemeni press this past week, security forces in Yemen "found" 120 bodies of supporters of a local intifada against the state, including many relatives of the leader of the uprising, during what they called "mopping up operations". 200 other supporters of the rebel leader were summarily arrested.
The latest figures are only part of the more than 500-person death toll of the Yemeni government's violent struggle to crush a local intifada by members of a minority Islamic sect in recent months.
Commenting on the remaining Zaidi rebels earlier this month, the Yemeni army's Chief of Staff, Muhammad Al-Kasimi, said, "We warned them to surrender or face a similar military attack." Al-Kasimi added that negotiations with the rebels are impossible, because, among other things, they want to continue provoking violence against the US and Israel and they want the withdrawal of the Yemeni forces from areas under their influence, in addition to seeking compensation from Yemen for the rebel leader and his supporters.
Led by a self-declared cleric of the Zaidi Shi'ite sect of Islam, Hussein Bader Eddine Al-Houthi, Zaidis in the north of Yemen began a "rebellion" against the central government. Formed by Zaid, a great-grandson of Muhammad, the Zaidis believe that the true Islamic descendant of Muhammad must publicly assert his claim to the title of Imam and seek to overthrow corrupt regimes run by unacceptable rulers.
Yemen Times reported the text of a statement issued by the besieged Zaidis: "In name of Saadah [the last holdout of Al-Houthi loyalists] men, we address the humanitarian organizations and associations and those of conscience and the World's free men to relieve them and cease this wild war, which the governmental authority is practicing against them, in addition to the villager militias, the Arabs and the Yemeni Afghanistanis."