In response to the reports that the Biden administration is lifting its years-long suspension of “offensive” weapons shipments to Saudi Arabia, Elizabeth Rghebi, the Advocacy Director for the Middle East and North Africa at Amnesty International USA made the following statement:
“The Biden administration’s decision to lift its suspension of ‘offensive’ weapons to the Saudi Arabian government is reckless in the face of extensive evidence that arms transfers to the Saudi Arabia-led coalition resulted in enormous harm to Yemeni civilians, who are continuing to endure the long-lasting consequences of the ongoing conflict.
“The U.S. and other arms-supplying states must halt all transfer of arms, equipment, and military assistance to Saudi Arabia until accountability for violations of human rights law and international humanitarian law in Yemen is established.
“By lifting the suspension of ‘offensive’ weapons sales to Saudi Arabia without any accountability for past crimes, the Biden administration is sending a message to the Saudi authorities and other governments around the world that compliance with international law is optional.
“U.S. and international law are clear on this issue. The U.S. government must not provide weapons when there is a risk that they could be used to commit violations of international law. The U.S. must suspend the transfer of U.S. weapons to governments with documented histories of serious violations of international law, including war crimes, as a matter of priority. This goes for any country the U.S. is providing with weapons, be it Saudi Arabia, Israel, or others.
“The U.S. government should also support international accountability efforts that would bring much needed justice and reparation to victims of the conflict in Yemen.
“Yemenis are facing one of the worst ongoing humanitarian crises in the world and the recent military escalation in the country, following U.S., UK, and Israel’s air strikes on Huthi targets, risks worsening an already grave situation for the civilian population.”
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