A directed attack at civilian airports consists of an act of terrorism, Summer Ahmed, the South Arabia foreign affairs representative to the UN of the separatist Southern Transitional Council (STC) of South Yemen, told The Jerusalem Post.
“Targeting civilian airports is a blatant act of terrorism,” she said. “The attack on Ben-Gurion Airport is part of a broader pattern of Houthi aggression backed by Iran, which has turned Houthi-controlled North Yemen into a launchpad for regional instability.”
Ahmed was born and raised in Aden, South Yemen, and came to the US at the age of 10. Her academic and professional background lies in the fields of medicine and political advocacy.
She has spent the last two decades working to amplify the voice of South Yemen on global platforms, particularly in the US and the UN. Now, in a first-ever interview of an STC delegate to an Israeli newspaper, Ahmed denounced the Houthi attacks against Israeli infrastructure and called for collaboration based on the Arab Peace Initiative.
“The Houthis have also used Iranian missiles and drones to attack airports and civilian infrastructure in South Yemen, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE,” Ahmed said.
“This should deeply concern the international community,” she added. “The Houthis’ continued control of Sanaa and their militarization of humanitarian and political processes threaten all prospects for peace.”
According to Ahmed, “A viable solution must combine political pressure, sanctions, and support to local forces resisting Houthi expansion, particularly in the south.”
A message from the South
“South Arabia” refers to the historical region that comprised the independent state of South Yemen before unification with North Yemen in 1990.
Its center lies in the capital port city of Aden, and its territories extend from the Bab al-Mandab Strait, made notorious recently following the recurring Houthi attacks obstructing international trade, and all the way to the easternmost provinces, Hadhramaut and Mahra.
Nowadays, the area of South Yemen is controlled by the STC, which emerged in May of 2017, during the Yemeni civil war, as a representative body of the South Yemeni people.
It now operates as a separatist entity that continuously challenges the Houthis in Yemen, openly advocating for their own independence.
“We aim to restore independence to the south and build a federal, democratic state grounded in justice, peace, and regional stability,” Ahmed said. The South’s cause for independence has been met with limited international interest so far, a fact which Ahmed hopes to change through her political lobbying and activism in Washington and at the UN.
“We were actually offered observer status at the UN,” she said, “but we rejected it. We wanted our full seat at the table like we did pre-1990.”
When asked about the current situation in Yemen, Ahmed referred to a fractured reality, resulting from “continuous Houthi escalations and terrorism.”
According to her, the Houthis, with the support of Iran, “continue to control Sanaa and most of North Yemen, terrorizing civilians across the north and beyond, and using the areas under their control to terrorize the region and international shipping lanes.”
Ahmed continued: “In contrast, the south, which was liberated from the Houthis in 2015 with the support of the Saudi and UAE-led Arab coalition, has established relative stability through local governance and southern security forces.”
When asked about South Yemen’s current challenges, Ahmed elaborated: “Militarily, the southern forces are defending our region against Houthi expansion and al-Qaeda threats, with limited international support. Humanitarian needs remain dire due to years of war and economic collapse.”
On the economic front, Ahmed described the south as suffering from “war-devastated infrastructure and currency depreciation due to the Houthis’ bombing of the southern oil ports in Shabwa and Hadhramaut, which ended oil exports, ultimately depriving the government of revenue.”
A new mission in Washington
This weekend, the STC inaugurated its mission in Washington. The inauguration coincided with the eighth commemorative anniversary of the historic Aden declaration on 4 May 2017, which granted Aidarus al-Zoubaidi, the STC’s president, the mandate needed to establish a council to represent the people of South Yemen and their aspirations.
“The mission bridges South Yemen and the US government, think tanks, media, and the southern diaspora,” Ahmed told the Post.
“Its core objectives include advocating for the STC’s political vision, strengthening diplomatic engagement, promoting US-STC cooperation in counterterrorism and maritime security, and informing American stakeholders of the realities on the ground and our shared interests in implementing peace and stability in the region,” she said.
Ahmed also said that the delegation is in direct communication “with various levels of the US government and welcomes further dialogue.”
When asked whether the US was willing to help their cause, Ahmed said, “Our primary political goal is to peacefully restore an independent South Yemen through internationally supported negotiations.
“We also seek to build institutions that uphold democratic values, human rights, and good governance. We believe that the US can play a critical role, not just militarily, but diplomatically, by supporting inclusive peace efforts that reflect the will of the people of South Yemen.
“The STC has demonstrated its commitment to regional security and counterterrorism, which aligns with US interests,” she said.
Regarding the prospects of Israel-STC collaborations, Ahmed stressed that the STC shares its neighbors’ vision for peace in the region, supporting Saudi Arabia’s Arab peace initiative.
“We support peace and dialogue, and there is undoubtedly room for pragmatic dialogue and cooperation where mutual interests align, particularly in implementing peace and security, counterterrorism, and maritime stability in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden,” Ahmed elaborated.
'Houthis are the ones killing us, not Israel'
When asked whether she fears speaking to an Israeli newspaper, Ahmed responded: “It’s the Houthis that are killing us, not Israel. We do not have any restrictions on who we talk to, and our views on regional issues are clear.”
“We have American Jewish friends, many of whom are of Yemenite and Adeni descent. Yemen’s tragedy is not only a political conflict but a humanitarian one. The people of South Yemen aspire to build a peaceful, democratic state that contributes to regional stability and rejects extremism,” she said.
“We hope that you will view our struggle through the lens of justice and the shared values of dignity, freedom, and coexistence.
“Your voice in shaping US policy and supporting just causes is powerful. We invite you to stand with us to pursue peace, accountability, and self-determination in South Arabia,” Ahmed added.