Houthis extend educational opportunities to students impacted by crackdown on protests in the US.

According to Reuters, Yemen’s Houthi militia, aligned with Iran, previously known for disrupting global shipping to express solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza conflict, is now extending support to students expelled from U.S. universities following their participation in anti-Israeli demonstrations.
In recent days, students across numerous U.S. campuses have organized rallies or established protest camps to condemn Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza, which has entered its seventh month.
Protesters have urged President Joe Biden, who has reiterated support for Israel’s right to self-defense, to take more decisive action to halt the violence in Gaza, and have demanded that universities divest from companies backing the Israeli government.
Several institutions, including the prestigious Ivy League Columbia University in New York City, have resorted to involving law enforcement to quash the protests.

An official from Sanaa University, under Houthi control, emphasized their sincere commitment to embracing students suspended from U.S. universities due to their support for Palestinians. They expressed their dedication to standing in solidarity with Palestine on all fronts. Sanaa University issued a statement praising the “humanitarian” stance taken by these students in the United States and extended an invitation for them to pursue their education in Yemen.

The university’s board strongly condemned the suppression of freedom of expression faced by academics and students in U.S. and European institutions. They provided an email address for interested students to reach out and explore the opportunity further.

This gesture from Sanaa University comes amidst the backdrop of the U.S. and Britain reclassifying the Houthi militia as a terrorist organization due to their attacks on vessels in the Red Sea region, which have had significant economic repercussions globally.

Despite the university’s offer, it sparked a wave of sarcasm among ordinary Yemenis on social media. One user shared a photo depicting two Westerners consuming Yemen’s popular narcotic leaf, Qat, humorously suggesting it was American students during their hypothetical fifth year at Sanaa University.