On
Yemen, ICP
Asks King
Salman Center
If Any
Critique of
Coalition,
Sudan Troops
By Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS,
October 26 --
At the UN,
money talks,
sometimes on
very little
notice. A 4 pm
press
conference by
Saudi Arabia's
“Dr. Abdullah
Al Rabeeah,
Adviser at the
Royal Court,
and General
Supervisory of
King Salman's
Center for
Relief and
Humanitarian
Aid,” was
announced only
that
afternoon.
When Inner
City Press
arrived,
present were
not only Saudi
Arabia's
Permanent
Representative
to the UN but
also the UN
OCHA Relief
Chief, Stephen
O'Brien. He
was not listed
on the
program, but
the goal of
the press
conference
seemed to be
to normalize
the abnormal
relation
between the
Saudi King's
Center and the
UN.
The
first question
went to the UN
Correspondents
Association,
which did not
ask about
this; the
second went to
Saudi
television.
Then Inner
City Press
asked
Abdullah Al
Rabeeah, who
has called the
Center
“impartial,”
if he would
acknowledge
any impairment
or delay to
aid by the
Saudi-led
coalition,
including at
the ports. He
did not
acknowledge
it. Tweeted
photo here.
Inner
City Press
asked O'Brien
if the UN
taking money,
under MOU
conditions,
from countries
that are
launching
airstrikes on
another is a
new trend. Video here. No, O'Brien
insisted, is
it merely
shifting with
the times.
Indeed. Does
USG O'Brien
make
appearances at
UN press
conference
like this with
other donors?
While
the Saudi
Ambassador
said he was
moderator and
there not to
answer
questions, to
his credit he
did respond to
Inner City
Press'
question about
the
Coalition's
use of troops
from Sudan,
officials from
which have
been indicted
by the ICC for
genocide and
war crimes.
Are the troops
vetted? He
said they are
expected to
comply with
international
law. Afterward
he said he had
expected such
a curve ball
from Inner
City Press
(which,
continuing the
analogy,
opined he had
managed a
sacrifice
fly.)
, 
