The third international scientific conference, “Palestine: The Central Cause of the Nation,” began in Sana’a under the slogan “You Are Not Alone.” The event, attended by local, Arab, Islamic, and international figures, focuses on the Palestinian cause and Yemen’s role in supporting it.
Key speakers included Yemeni officials, representatives from Hamas, and international figures like former Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi and South African parliamentarian Zwelivelile Mandela. They emphasized Yemen’s resilience against aggression and its support for Palestine, praising the resistance’s efforts to break the siege on Gaza.
The conference will discuss 173 research papers across seven themes, including the strategic dimensions of the Al-Aqsa Flood operation, the dangers of normalization, and the role of resistance in confronting the Zionist entity.
Yemen’s steadfast stance, despite a decade of aggression and siege, was highlighted as a model of resistance and solidarity with Palestine. The event underscores the unity of the Arab and Islamic world in supporting the Palestinian cause.
Yemen: The Supreme Model
Maaz Abu Shamala, the representative of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) in Yemen, affirmed the legitimate right of resistance to defend its people, land, and sanctities against occupation, stating that this is non-negotiable. He stressed that no amount of crimes can distort the truth or absolve the occupation of its atrocities.
Abu Shamala highlighted that the criminal aggression on Gaza and the starvation of its people are part of the Zionist war strategy, which will not break the will of the Palestinian people or their commitment to resistance as the most effective path to liberation and the restoration of national rights.
He pointed out that the continuation of these crimes places a moral and political responsibility on the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to halt the genocide in Gaza.
Abu Shamala stated, “The agreement signed by the resistance in May 2024, which they were forced to return to and sign again in January 2025, and which they are now attempting to overturn, will not lead to the outcome the Americans desire—the surrender of the resistance. Therefore, it is in the best interest of the Americans and Israelis to return to reason.”
He emphasized that the tension in the region will not break the will of the Palestinian resistance or its free determination. He praised Yemen’s honorable stance in supporting the Palestinian people and defending their rights, both in word and deed, despite the American aggression on the country. This stance, he noted, sends a message to the hesitant that the nation is capable of making a significant difference in confronting the Zionist enemy.
Abu Shamala described Yemen as a living model for the nation, expressing gratitude to the conference organizers for reaffirming that the Palestinian cause remains the central issue of the nation and that the Zionist enemy is the enemy of all.
Unprecedented Equations in the History of the Conflict
Former Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi praised Yemen’s role in the battle for Palestine, particularly the efforts of Sayyed Abdulmalik Al-Houthi and his management of the battle across various fronts.
Abdul-Mahdi noted that Yemenis have developed unprecedented operational methods and strategies to besiege the Israeli enemy, marking a new chapter in the history of the conflict.
He asserted that political settlements are not the solution; rather, the path lies in what Al-Aqsa Flood and the battles to liberate Gaza and support fronts, especially Yemen, have achieved.
Nothing Will Break Palestinian and Yemeni Will
At the conference, South African parliamentarian Zwelivelile Mandela, grandson of Nelson Mandela, delivered a speech, beginning with chants of “Freedom for Palestine, from the river to the sea.”
He expressed gratitude to the conference organizers, stating, “It is an honor to be in Sana’a and to witness true faith and unwavering strength.” He added, “We are proud of the people of Yemen and to be among the participants in this conference, which brings us together from around the world.”
Mandela emphasized that this international conference addresses a crucial aspect of the Palestinian cause, stressing the duty to confront the enemy’s media war and build strong international solidarity and support for Palestine.
Mandela called on activists worldwide to intensify their efforts for Palestine, making the digital uprising more effective and exposing the enemy’s media mechanisms.
Western Colonialism and Imperialism
Irish parliamentarian Mick Wallace and Clare Daly noted that what is happening in Gaza today is extreme Zionist, colonial, and imperial brutality. They added that the Zionist entity only understands the language of force.
Wallace pointed out that Western colonialism persists, embodied by Israel, which justifies its crimes by claiming to confront so-called barbarism and promote civilization.
He stated, “The Yemenis have taken a stunning stance in supporting Gaza, standing against imperialism for years. The world must learn from Yemen, which stands against the genocide. Palestine will be free, and Yemen will be free.”
Yemen’s Heroic Stance
Brazilian geopolitical analyst Pepe Escobar highlighted the heroism of the Yemeni people in defending Gaza, rooted in their authenticity and living principles. He stated, “We will stand with all our might to support the Palestinian people.”
Escobar praised Yemen’s heroic stance in opposing global arrogance led by America, Britain, and the Zionist entity.
Arab Participation
Egyptian TV director and media activist Mamdouh Alwan Atiya and Lebanese geopolitical analyst Dr. Sundus Al-Asaad delivered speeches highlighting Yemen’s noble stance amid Arab silence and international complicity.
They emphasized that Yemen today is a shining model in the battle against the Zionist enemy, noting the painful blows dealt to the entity and its American and Western patrons by the Yemeni Armed Forces, which have changed the rules of engagement and imposed new military equations.
Chinese Perspective
Mao Xiaolin, head of the Mediterranean Studies Center at Shanghai University, delivered a speech in Arabic, stating that Yemen’s stance is a significant opportunity to elevate the Arab and Islamic position in facing dangers and challenges.
Xiaolin noted that Yemen’s naval operations have created urgent changes in the regional military balance, emphasizing that what Yemen has done to American aircraft carriers has never been achieved by any other nation or global power.
He expressed astonishment at the significant advancements made by the Yemeni Armed Forces, which have pressured Israel and its American and Western allies
