Yemini sources have accused Qatar-backed streams within the internationally recognized government of conducting an internal conflict after Prime Minister Mo’een Abdul Malik’s decision to suspend the Minister of Transport, Saleh al-Jabwani, affiliated with Doha, and transfer his powers to Deputy Prime Minister Salem Al-Khanbashi, against the background of his failure in performing his duties.
The political stream supported by Qatar and Muslim Brotherhood in the Yemeni government has started to exert great pressures, against the Yemeni Prime Minister at political and media levels to force him reversing his decision regarding al-Jibwani.
Among those pressures, several ministers backed by Qatar have threatened to resign, in attempts to push the Abdul Malik reversing this decision.
According to Al-Arabija News, the Prime Minister’s decision was based on directives by the President, in the light of al-Jabwani’s public statements and stances which oppose the Arab Coalition.
The Reform Party bloc, alongside with ministers backed by Vice President Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar, led by Minister of Civil Service Nabil al-Faqih and Minister of Youth and Sports Nayef al-Bakri are waging a battle in the backstage to nullify the decision of suspending the Minister of Transport.
The suspension decision was a result of many accumulated mistakes committed by al-Jabwani, foremost of which was his visit to Ankara, and signing a bilateral agreement with the Turkish government in the field of transportation and management of ports and airports; in addition to his role in targeting the Arab coalition politically and through media, and playing a significant role in hindering the implementation of the Riyadh Agreement.
If Al-Jabwani’s remains in office, he will encourage other political and media leaders to play an anti-coalition role within the government’s institutions, serving the Qatar-Turkey project.
The decision of suspending al-Jabwani and stripping his anti-coalition moves of legitimacy came very late due to the Qatari influence in the recognized government, which prevented his suspension and referring him to investigation.
That decision may be considered as a pretext to form a new government that enhances the Qatari and Muslim Brotherhood influence, and thwarts the endeavors to implement the Riyadh Agreement which states forming a new government equally divided between the north and the south, Yemeni sources say, pointing out that presidential directives may be issued soon returning the Minister of Transport to his position, and this is due to the media campaign led by activists and political leaders criticizing the decision of Prime Minister Abdul Malik.
