The Yemeni Alliance Committee (YAC) is a left-of-center activist group that opposes the United States’ involvement in the conflict between the Saudi Arabian-led coalition supporting the internationally recognized government of Yemen and Iran-backed Houthi insurgents. ^{1 2}

YAC claims that designating Houthi Rebels as terrorists will exacerbate famine in Yemen. The U.S. Department of State designated the Houthis, also known as Ansarallah, as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist group on January 17, 2024, citing the group’s “unprecedented attacks against international maritime vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, as well as military forces positioned in the area to defend the safety and security of commercial shipping.” ³

The organization also helped organize an anti-Israel rally protest in Houston, Texas on January 21, 2024. The protest, named “All Out for Palestine & Yemen,” called on demonstrators to “mobilize against Israeli genocide in Palestine,” and the “US & UK attacks on Yemen.” ⁴

Background

The Yemeni Alliance Committee (YAC) is a left-of-center activist group that opposes the United States’ involvement in Yemen’s civil war. ^{1 2}

In a Google document titled “Stop US Support: War on Yemen,” YAC claims that the United States is complicit in creating the famine in Yemen and that the U.S. and the United Kingdom have “launched airstrikes on Yemen, illegally.” It also claims that Saudi Arabia has “imposed a land, air, and sea blockade on Yemen,” enforced by “Western powers.” ¹

In that same document, YAC issued a demand that President Joe Biden and the U.S. Congress immediately “end the illegal bombing campaign” in Yemen, halt arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, “ensure the unconditional lifting of the blockade on Yemen,” and provide humanitarian aid to Yemeni citizens. YAC added that “designating the ‘Houthis’ as terrorists will further push Yemen into a full[y] fledge[d] famine.” ¹

The U.S. Department of State designated the Houthis, also known as Ansarallah, as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist group on January 17, 2024. A U.S. Department of State press statement noted that, since the beginning of November 2023, Houthi rebels have launched “unprecedented attacks against international maritime vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, as well as military forces positioned in the area to defend the safety and security of commercial shipping.” ³

The U.S. Department of State added that the designation was made to “promote accountability for the group’s terrorist activities,” and stated that if “the Houthis cease their attacks in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, the United States will reevaluate this designation.” ³

Anti-Israel Activities

Apart from protesting against United States involvement in the Yemeni Civil War, the Yemeni Alliance Committee has organized activities and statements against the state of Israel. ⁵

YAC helped organize a protest in Houston, Texas on January 21, 2024. The protest, which was named “All Out for Palestine & Yemen,” called on demonstrators to “mobilize against Israeli genocide in Palestine,” and the “US & UK attacks on Yemen.”  ⁵

Other organizations affiliated with the protest include the Texas chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the Palestinian Youth Movement USA, the Party for Socialism and Liberation, and the U.S. Palestinian Community Network. ^{5 6 7 8}

The California chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations lists YAC as a partner in its 2022 annual report. ⁹

People

Jehan Hakim is the founder of the Yemeni Alliance Committee. She earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and government from San Francisco State University. Hakim worked as an intern at the San Francisco City Hall between February 2016 and May 2016, while also serving as president of the American Association of Yemeni Students and Professionals between January 2015 and June 2016. ¹⁰

Hakim founded YAC in January 2017 and joined the American Association of Yemeni Students and Professionals as an executive director in January 2023, a position she holds as of July 2024. ¹⁰

1. “Stop US Support: War on Yemen.” Google Docs. Accessed July 10, 2024. https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vRS1ZftRLK5zd46CIw8NeCy7aK9GQ_Jk7zVLjWM3HJHIHfmWYyCPETJo5kzVzK7Ma8bFUoZryyEqDXH/pub.
2. “War in Yemen.” Council on Foreign Relations. February 7, 2023. Accessed July 10, 2024. https://www.cfr.org/global-conflict-tracker/conflict/war-yemen.
3. “Terrorist Designation of the Houthis PRESS STATEMENT.” Department of State. January 17, 2024. Accessed July 10, 2024. https://www.state.gov/terrorist-designation-of-the-houthis/.
4. “Yemeni Alliance Committee- HOUSTON MASS PROTEST – ALL OUT FOR PALESTINE & YEMEN.” X (Twitter). Accessed July 10, 2024. https://x.com/YAC_USfuelsWars/status/1748947262967865532
5. “Yemeni Alliance Committee- HOUSTON MASS PROTEST – ALL OUT FOR PALESTINE & YEMEN.” X (Twitter). Accessed July 10, 2024. https://x.com/YAC_USfuelsWars/status/1748947262967865532.
6. “The Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR).” Anti-Defamation League March 9, 2022. Accessed July 10, 2024. https://www.adl.org/resources/backgrounder/council-american-islamic-relations-cair.
7. “Palestinian Youth Movement.” Palestinian Youth Movement. February 10, 2023. Accessed July 10, 2024. https://palestinianyouthmovement.com/.
8. “About USPCN.” Accessed July 10, 2024. https://uspcn.org/about/.
9. “Annual Report – 2022.” CAIR California. Accessed July 10, 2024. https://ca.cair.com/sacval/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2022/06/2022-Annual-Legal-Report-Web.pdf.
10. “Jehan Hakim – Experiences.” LinkedIn. Accessed July 10, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/in/jehan-hakim/details/experience/.