In a May 31, 2024 article, Ahmad Suleiman, the editor of the Egyptian state daily Al-Gumhouriyya, came out strongly against Houthi leader Abd Al-Malik Al-Houthi, calling him "the greatest of traitors." This was in response to a recorded speech Al-Houthi published one day earlier, in which he exhorted Egypt to take a firm stance against Israel for the sake of the Palestinian people and Egypt's own national security, and because this would cause Yemen to stand with Egypt.[1] Suleiman wrote that Egypt does not need advice on maintaining its national security from Al-Houthi, who has harmed this security more than anyone else with his attacks on shipping in the Red Sea that have decreased Egypt's Suez Canal revenues by 60 percent. He added that Egypt has greatly promoted the Palestinian cause, whereas the Houthis have done nothing but utter bombastic slogans and harm Yemen itself by undermining its security, stealing its resources and setting it back many years.
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The following are translated excerpts from Suleiman's article:[2]
"It is strange indeed to receive advice about nationalism and national security from someone who lacks the most basic principles of belonging and love for the homeland and who has harmed the national security of his own homeland more than anyone else. Like many of my fellow Egyptians and my Arab brethren, I was surprised to hear the man called Abd Al-Malik Al-Houthi, the leader of the Yemeni Ansar Allah movement, advising Egypt on how to safeguard its national security.
"In a speech broadcast [inter alia] on the Russia Today [television] channel, Al-Houthi said that he still hopes to see an Egyptian stance that supports the Palestinian people and safeguards Egypt's national security, and demanded that Egypt sever its relations with Israel, boycott it economically and take a tougher stance on the Israeli violations. He advised Egypt to adopt courageous positions regarding Israel and said that, if it moves in this direction, it will gain the support of the peoples, including the support of the Republic of Yemen.
"By Allah, who is this man [I hear] speaking in the name of the sister Republic of Yemen? 'Abd Al-Malik Al-Houthi? The one who has posed a greater threat than anyone else to Yemen's own national security and made happy Yemen miserable?[3] The one who stole the resources of that formerly beautiful country and transformed it into a country [whose citizens] fight one another? The one who stands in opposition to the [Yemeni] state and its national outlook? Who is this man speaking [to us]? The thief who stole his homeland's resources? The one who sowed division among its people and sent it back to the years of backwardness and destruction? They used to say: 'If you lack something, don't talk about it'… You were the first to threaten the national security of sister Yemen, so don't talk about national security, which holds no significance, value or importance in your eyes, for if it did, you wouldn't have set your homeland years back.
"Egypt knows perfectly well how to safeguard its national security. Egypt knows how and when to take action, and in which direction; it is the one that chooses the timing of its actions and no one will force it to enter into confrontations. It is Egypt that chooses the time and place of its battles. Egypt is the one who protects what remains of the Arab homeland from the occupation; Egypt is the mother of the Arabs, it is aware of its own capabilities and does not endanger the present or the future of its people. Egypt will not sacrifice decades of development efforts for the sake of an arrogant move [and the possibility of] receiving accolades from people like Al-Houthi, nor does it rush off to hide in one of the Houthi caves when danger approaches.
"Egypt does not fear risks, but it considers every move and does not pay a price for arrogant operations whose implications were not taken into account. You – the one who is advising Egypt to safeguard its national security – are the man who has harmed Egypt's national security more than anyone else. With the attacks on the merchant vessels that pass through the Red Sea, you and your supporters have prevented many of these ships from passing through the Suez Canal, which has caused Egypt to lose over 60 percent of its Suez Canal revenues. That has been the greatest blow to Egypt's national security.
"Moreover, what kind of courageous stands should Egypt take, in your opinion? Should it go to war with Israel in order to please you and the other braggarts and shouters who regard some applause and some words of praise as sufficient [reward for their actions]? Countries are not run by assuming an arrogant stance, or by [mere] talk, or by pleasing some public here or there. Egypt is the largest and strongest of the Arab countries, and I suggest that you try again [to proffer advice] – but [this time] to one of your own public sectors that is happy with an arrogant stance regardless of the damage it causes.
"Oh Houthi, do not compete with Egypt and its positions on the Palestinian issue by means of inflammatory populistic slogans, for neither you nor any other country has taken action or borne the burden for the sake of the victory of the Palestinian issue as Egypt has done, and is still doing and will continue to do in the future. Keep your advice to yourself, maybe it will help you comprehend the meaning of national security, honor and loyalty and the value of the homelands. But how could you know this, being the product of the organizations of darkness which have erred and led others astray? In the final analysis, you are trying to play the part of a reliable adviser while you are the worst of traitors – and what you have done in sister Yemen took place not long ago.
"And besides, who gave you the right to speak for the Yemeni Republic? In what capacity? My advice to you is: don't interfere."
