The Yemen peace talks, being held in Geneva, effectively ended today with the announcement that the pro-Saudi Hadi faction will withdraw from the talks and return to exile in Saudi Arabia, which is presently attacking Yemen with the goal of reinstalling them as the government.
The talks began inauspiciously Monday, with demands from the Hadi faction for the Houthis to surrender all cities in the country as a condition for discussing an end to Saudi airstrikes. Yemen FM Riad Yassin complained today that the Houthis didn’t comply with any of their demands.
It is unsurprising that the talks are collapsing at this point, as yesterday’s press conference by the Houthis ended in fistfights when the Hadi faction attacked them, throwing shoes at the delegate addressing the assembled media.
The Saudis never really stopped their airstrikes during the talks, and continued with the talks today after the lack of resolution. UN officials expressed disappointment in the process, noting the Hadi and Houthi factions never even sat down at the same table during the five days, and insisted the UN transfer messages back and forth. The only time they were even in the same room was during Thursday’s brawl.
Like the Peace Process with Israel, this was just for show, to provide diplomatic cover for actions that were causing outrage. The Saudi side had not the slightest intent of making any peace deal.