US Legislation Targets Saudis for Khashoggi Murder, Yemen War Crimes - Senator Menendez

WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 26th July, 2019) The Saudi Arabia Accountability Act, approved by the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee on a 13-9 vote, targets the desert kingdom's murder of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi and war crimes in Yemen without completely scuttling the US-Saudi partnership, Senator Robert Menendez said in a press release on Thursday.

"This bill does not seek to throw out the US-Saudi partnership, but sends a strong signal that our partners cannot act with impunity and that we must take actions to promote our interests and our values," Menendez said. "The bill limits the sales of weapons the Kingdom has used to slaughter civilians in Yemen while preserving support for Saudi Arabia's legitimate security concerns."

The bill also calls for a report on Saudi Arabia's human rights record and mandates sanctions on anyone responsible for the October 2018 death of Khashoggi, a Washington Post writer who was murdered by Saudi operatives during a visit to the nation's consulate in Istanbul.

In addition to Menendez, a Democrat, and Senator Todd Young, a Republican, the legislation has three Democratic and two Republican cosponsors.

The legislation marks the latest effort by Congress to punish Saudi Arabia over Yemen atrocities and the Khashoggi murder, both widely linked to de-facto Saudi ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

While the effort has attracted substantial support from Republican lawmakers, Saudi critics in both houses of Congress have failed to muster the two-thirds super-majority needed to override a veto by President Donald Trump, who is expected to reject the latest measure.