RIYADH: The Arab Parliament has launched a comprehensive action plan to isolate the Iran-backed Houthi militia politically, financially and judicially, and classify them as a terrorist organization. In a statement posted on X on Friday it said: “The Arab Parliament has launched an expanded regional and international parliamentary action plan to confront the terrorist Houthi militia and its repeated attacks against Saudi Arabia, aiming to rally a firm international stance to counter these attacks, work toward designating the militia a terrorist organization, cut off its sources of funding and arms, and hold those responsible for its crimes and violations accountable under international law.” The plan is based on effective and influential parliamentary action led by the Arab Parliament along four main tracks. The first is the diplomatic track, which targets the capitals of international decision-making through direct engagement with the parliaments of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, to rally international support for Arab action and press for firm international positions and measures to halt Houthi attacks, hold those responsible accountable, and confront the sources of support, funding and arms that enable the militia to continue its criminal activities. The second is the political and security track. The plan aims to activate parliamentary diplomacy to rally regional and international support for designating the Houthi militia a terrorist organization in countries and regional and international organizations that have not yet taken this step, foremost among them the EU. This will be pursued through engagement with President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola and High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas, urging European institutions to complete the legal procedures to add the militia to the EU’s official lists of terrorist organizations, in accordance with established legal procedures, and expand the restrictive measures and sanctions imposed on its leaders, affiliated entities and those supporting its terrorist activities. These measures include freezing assets and funds and imposing related financial restrictions, helping to undermine the militia’s ability to continue its attacks and threaten regional and international security and stability. The third is the judicial track. It aims to activate international justice and legal accountability mechanisms by preparing a comprehensive, documented legal file covering the Houthi militia’s attacks and violations that constitute war crimes and other crimes falling within the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court, and submitting a communication concerning them to the court’s Office of the Prosecutor, in accordance with the provisions of the Rome Statute and the court’s jurisdictional requirements. It also calls on the countries concerned to take available legal action to prosecute and hold accountable those responsible for these crimes and ensure they do not escape punishment. The fourth is the economic track. The plan aims to rally regional and international support for practical measures to cut off the terrorist Houthi militia’s sources of funding and arms, and pursue financing and smuggling networks, front companies and all financial transfers involved in supporting its military activities. This comprehensive plan is part of the Arab Parliament’s efforts to counter the repeated criminal attacks launched by the terrorist Houthi militia against the territory of Saudi Arabia and its civilian, economic and vital facilities. The consequences of these attacks are not limited to threatening the Kingdom’s security, sovereignty and the safety of its citizens and residents. They extend to posing a direct threat to maritime and air navigation, the stability of global energy supplies, supply chains and international trade, affecting Arab national security as well as the regional and international peace and security. Welcoming the plan, Dr. Osama Ghanem Al-Obaidy, adviser and professor of international law at the Institute of Public Administration in Riyadh, told Arab News: “This move by the Arab Parliament to designate the Houthi militia as a terrorist organization and to cut off its funding and arms is a welcome move. “Since its creation, the Houthi militia has been a terrorist organization bent on the destruction of Yemen and the misery of its people as well as destabilizing the region through its terrorist activities,” Al-Obaidy said. “This is definitely a move in the right direction toward demonstrating to the Houthi terrorist militia that all Arabs are united in opposition to their actions, and will help isolate them politically, financially and judicially and designate them a terrorist organization.” The European Parliament wants the EU to designate the Houthis as a terrorist group. MEPs last month strongly condemned the unprecedented missile and drone attacks by the Houthis against Saudi Arabia, and their military offensive in Yemen, and described these attacks as flagrant violations of international law and international humanitarian law. Following a proposal by Kallas, parliament urged the council to put the Houthi movement, including its military and political wings, leadership and military and security apparatus, on the EU list of terrorist organizations.