Gulf | Yemen

Angry demonstrators seek united Arab action

Tens of thousands of Yemenis took to the streets of the main cities on Sunday to denounce the Israeli massacre of about 280 Palestinians in Gaza Strip.

  • By Nasser Arrabyee, Correspondent
  • Published: 23:31 December 28, 2008
  • Gulf News

  • Yemeni protesters shout slogans condemning Israeli airstrikes on Gaza Strip during a demonstration in Sana'a on Sunday.
  • Image Credit: EPA

Sana'a: Tens of thousands of Yemenis took to the streets of the main cities on Sunday to denounce the Israeli massacre of about 280 Palestinians in Gaza Strip.

Angry demonstrators demanded urgent Arab action, not just meetings and words and statements.

In the capital Sana'a, tens of thousands of people from all political parties, and civil society organisations, gathered in the stadium of Sana'a where politicians and religious scholars delivered speeches deploring the Israeli action in Gaza.

The cities of Taiz, Hodieda, Aden, Ebb and Dhammar also witnessed angry demonstrations.

Anti-Israel and anti-America slogans were chanted and placards condemning the Arab and international silence towards the events in Palestine were carried by disgruntled demonstrators.

Summit

Earlier, Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh called for an urgent Arab summit attended by Fatah and Hamas and other Palestinian factions.

The summit, called for by many Arab countries and expected to be held on Friday in Cairo, is likely to come out with a unified Arab stance vis-a -vis the developments in Gaza.

Yemen-based Association of Al Aqsa announced yesterday it had send $200,000 (Dh734,000) as urgent aid for Gaza people. The association said in a statement sent to media it would send further assistance to help the besieged people.

Angry demonstrators walked about 20km before reaching the stadium.

"The aggression on Gaza yesterday was a brutal crime and genocide, and we should support the Palestinian people with everything we have," said Ali Galib who participated in the demonstrations. "Jihad and resistance are the only way to remove the Israeli cancer," said Mohammad Galib.

"The blame should go first to the Palestinian factions who are divided, mainly Hamas and Fatah, and then we can blame the Arabs," said Radhia Ahmad.

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