In an exclusive interview with al-Alam News Channel on Monday, Abdul-Karim Jathban said, “The news of a large oil reserve in al-Jawf region on the Saudi-Yemeni border is probably the main cause for the Al Saud regime to move to Yemeni borders.”

“Although the news has been out for some while, the reason Saudi Arabia has now taken steps in this regard is that it is worried about the political developments in Yemen which have led to the formation of a national government which would protect the country’s resources and use them to serve the Yemeni people. This can turn Yemen into a powerful influential country and Saudi Arabia does not want this to happen,” the Yemeni MP added.

Commenting on the construction of a separating wall on the Saudi-Yemeni border by the Saudi regime, Jathban said, “the separating wall between Saudi Arabia and Yemen violates the 1932 Taif Agreement and the 2000 Jeddah Agreement.”

He further said, “These two agreements stipulate that an area of 40 km width in both countries’ lands should be put aside for animal husbandry and agricultural purposes. However, Saudi Arabia violated the two agreements by beginning to construct a separating wall on the borders which annexes 20 km wide of the Yemeni soil.”

Commenting on Yemen’s response to Saudi Arabia’s move, Jathban went on to say that “it is unlikely that the Yemeni regime opposes Saudi Arabia’s move as it is under the US mandate and the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council plan. It has presented all its trump cards to Saudi Arabia.”

“Saudi Arabia has exploited Yemen’s critical economic, security, and political conditions. Yemeni tribes, therefore, try to stop the Saudi construction plan and defend their territory. As a consequence, it is probable that Yemeni tribes, not the Yemeni government, clash with Saudi Arabia,” the Yemeni MP pointed out.

“Further, Saudi Labor Ministry has deported thousands of Yemeni workers from the country while the first agreement emphasizes on equality between Yemeni immigrants and Saudi citizens,” Jathban noted.