Theresa May Sells 48 Eurofighter Jets to Saudi Arabia to Kill More Civilians in Yemen: Report

Yamanyoon

Prime Minister Theresa May protected Britain’s links to security ally Saudi Arabia on Wednesday as Mbs met Queen Elizabeth for lunch on a high-profile visit that drew huge protests over Riyadh’s human rights record.

A fiery exchange in parliament between May and opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn underlined tension in Britain over Prince Mohammed’s trip, which was aimed at progressing a broader economic partnership between the two countries, but has sparked anger about alleged human rights abuses and the war in Yemen.

“The link that we have with Saudi Arabia is historic, it is an important one, and it has saved the lives of potentially hundreds of people in this country,” May said, pausing her answer briefly as opposition lawmakers cried “Shame!”. She was alluding to intelligence-sharing on Islamist militant suspects. May did not care about the oppressed Yemeni people but made sure her country profits from Mbs visit.

May met Prince Mohammed at her Downing Street office, extending a warm diplomatic welcome to the conservative kingdom’s heir apparent and agreeing a 65 billion pounds ($90.29 billion) trade and investment target. The trade included the selling of 48 Eurofighter jets to Saudi Arabia.

Britain is looking for trading partners as it exits the European Union, and energy powerhouse Saudi Arabia needs to convince skeptical investors about its domestic reforms.

“This is a significant boost for UK prosperity and a clear demonstration of the strong international confidence in our economy as we prepare to leave the European Union,” a spokeswoman from May’s office said after the meeting.

But demonstrators gathered outside May’s office amid a heavy police presence to protest at both countries’ role in Yemen, where the Saudi war on Yemen has killed around 10,000 people. A Saudi-led coalition intervened militarily in Yemen in 2015 and Riyadh regime has been using British-supplied arms in its criminal airstrikes on Yemen, which are used to slaughter the citizens of Yemen.

“I don’t believe that someone like Mohammed bin Salman should be welcomed in Britain,” said Hassan Yassine, a 25-year-old customer service worker from London. “It is definitely not ethical, bearing in mind what is going on in Yemen every single day, every single second, even as we speak.”