“Muhammad is the apostle of Allah. Those who follow him are merciful to one another but harsh to unbelievers” (Qur’an 48:29). This kind of thing (and there is so much more of it) in one’s holy book can lead to an endemic culture of violence.
“Fistfight breaks out at Yemen peace talks,” Reuters, June 18, 2015:
A fistfight erupted on the sidelines of peace talks in Geneva Thursday between supporters of different warring factions in Yemen, underlining the divisions that have thwarted United Nations efforts to broker a truce in the near three-month conflict.
Yemeni opponents of the Houthi forces that drove the government into exile interrupted a news conference by Houthi officials, throwing shoes and insulting them as “criminals” and “dogs” who were “killing the children of south Yemen”.
A Saudi-led coalition has been launching air raids against the Iran-allied Houthis since late March in a campaign to restore the exiled government and back its armed supporters.
The fighting continued on Thursday, with around 30 killed in clashes between Houthis and tribesmen in the central province of Mareb, tribal sources said, while the capital Sanaa was hit by air strikes targeting Houthi military sites.
The peace talks are struggling to bring together the rival factions and, with discussions due to conclude on Friday or Saturday, delegates have reported little progress toward the ceasefire the UN has requested.
Hamza Al-Houthi, head of the Houthi delegation to the UN-sponsored talks, stayed composed throughout the brawl that began when a woman in a pink headscarf went to the podium and threw a shoe at him, a particular insult in the Arab world.
A fistfight then broke out between Houthis and protesters before the latter were escorted out….
Caroline says
Gotta love the Religion of Peace.
RonaldB says
Sounds like an excellent fight for the US to stay totally out of. Let the Saudis use their resources to fight the war. Our only interest in Iran at this point is whether it has nuclear weapons, and their influence in Yemen has no bearing on that question. It would have been nice for a democratic influence in Iran, but Obama let that train roll by. The State Department lent more support to worldwide suppression of free speech than to mass, anti-government demonstrations in Iran.
The last thing we want to do is get between two groups of Muslims fighting. I am not implying in any way I support encouraging violence between Muslims, because I don’t. But, if they choose to fight on their own, we need to stay the hell out.
Angemon says
Ah, aren’t the adherents of the *ahem*, “religion of peace” wonderful, peaceful people?
Both warring parties in Yemen are islamic, so don’t expect any Israeli level of appeasement from one to the other.
duh_swami says
It’s not a fight unless they throw chairs and brandish knives…
Mirren10 says
”Yemeni opponents of the Houthi forces that drove the government into exile interrupted a news conference by Houthi officials, **throwing shoes** … ”
That’s where asghar bukhari’s shoe went.
ECAW says
Of course! Obvious when you think about it.
Linde Barrera says
To Mirren10- Your comment referring to Asghar Bukhari’s shoe was very funny. Between you and Holy Prophet APF, I got my morning laughs today, and laughter is the best medicine. God bless you Mirren10, hope all is well in your corner of the UK.
Westman says
Allah must be pleased with this shining example of the Relgion Of Peace demonstrating that, “Those who follow him are merciful to one another “
Tom Davis says
Aw, c’mon, they were just returning from a Kubrick film festival
Rob Crawford says
Do they carry spare shoes for these fights? Are they aware how ridiculous they look to the civilized world?
AJLIVERPOOL says
1. Yes
2. No
!!!