GAZA ISSUE STILL SIMMERS IN YEMEN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SANAA 000004 FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/PPD, NEA/IPA, DS/IP/NEA E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/04/2019 TAGS: PREL KPAL PHUM YM SUBJECT: GAZA ISSUE STILL SIMMERS IN YEMEN REF: 08 SANAA 2062 Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Angie Bryan for reasons 1.4(b) and (d). SUMMARY -------------- 1.(C) Despite continuing street protests and strong condemnations by editorialists and political parties coming the first day of the Israeli military's ground offensive in Gaza, the Yemeni government's official reaction to the ongoing crisis (including the FM's comments to the CDA) has been relatively muted. Popular expressions of solidarity with the Palestinian people can be found in all sectors of the Yemeni media. The ROYG has expressed its interest in a quick progression to a cease-fire in prelude to the return to multi-lateral discussion between Israel, the Palestinians and other Arab states to achieve a lasting peace in the region. Friday sermons in many of Yemen's mosques featured language condemning the Israeli attack on Gaza. End Summary. ROYG CALLS IN CDA, BUT NOT FOR WHAT YOU THINK -------------- 2.(C) On January 4, CDA Angie Bryan met with ROYG FM Abubakr al-Qirbi at the Minister's request. While the primary reason for requesting the meeting was to discuss Yemen's ongoing pursuit of entry to the Millennium Challenge Threshold program, al-Qirbi did offer some perfunctory comments on the ROYG's view on solving the ongoing situation in Gaza. Al-Qirbi called for an immediate end to the conflict in Gaza, saying that the international community "should do everything to stop the war and the conflict." He said that getting to a cease-fire should pre-empt any other priority, adding that, "Now is not the time for trying to look at solving the Fatah and Hamas issue. Now is not the time to condemn. The most important issue now is (attaining) the cease-fire and to resolve the situation in Gaza." 3.(C) Al-Qirbi said that he hopes to see a strengthened role for Egypt in dialogue between the Israelis and Palestinians. Al-Qirbi cautioned that it did not serve the USG's interests to remain partial towards the Israelis. Al-Qirbi expressed disappointment that the USG was what he described as an "obstruction" to the adoption of a UN Security Council resolution calling for a cease-fire in Gaza January 3. However, he did laud the recent statements on Gaza released from the Secretary's office and noted that he wished the statements' sentiments were reflected in the work of the UNSC. 4.(C) CDA Bryan responded to Al-Qirbi's points on Gaza by citing recent statements released from the Secretary and Spokesman's offices calling for a sustainable, durable and verifiable peace that ensures the safety and security of Israeli and Palestinian civilians over the long term. The CDA reiterated that the USG sees an important role for Arab governments in solving this crisis, and that agreement on arrangements for a sustainable, fully-respected cease-fire should be the priority, as apposed to a premature UNSC resolution that does little more than make a pronouncement. CDA Bryan also expressed the need for the ROYG to ensure the safety of the Reyda Jewish community, who has faced additional threats and intimidation since the beginning of the Gaza campaign. EDITORIALS AND IMAMS LABEL GAZA OPERATION AS GENOCIDE -------------- -------------- 5.(U) Both the official and independent Yemeni media have strongly condemned the ongoing conflict in Gaza. A January 1 editorial from the Ministry of Defense's daily newspaper "26 September" blamed the Israeli operation for deepening the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The editorial called the ongoing conflict a "genocide that transcends the morals and values of all religions." The newspaper called for a three point resolution to the Gaza situation: 1) a stop to the Israeli "aggression on innocent and unarmed children," 2) the lifting of the blockade in Gaza, and 3) the unification of "the national Palestinian factions...to face this aggression." The editorial called upon the USG to pressure Israel to "cease its aggression on the Palestinian people because the United States may be the only country which is able to do so." (Note: There has been little direct criticism of the USG in the Yemeni media thus far. To date, Sana'a PAO has received no requests from Yemeni journalists for comment on the Gaza situati on. End Note.) 6.(U) A January 3 editorial in the official ROYG daily "Al-Thawra" implicitly condemned the international community for "giving Israel...the green light to implement its ugly plan." The editorial questioned the commitment of "great countries" to democracy and human rights, accusing them of "hypocrisy and double-standards." Mosque sermons on Friday January 2 throughout Yemen condemned Israel for its "aggression" on Gaza and called on worshippers to offer donations to the people of Palestine. OBSERVERS SHOCKED BY PRO-HAMAS NATURE OF PROTESTS -------------- -------------- ¶7. (SBU) At a December 30 dinner hosted by the CDA, a number of Yemeni political figures offered additional insight into the Yemeni reaction to Gaza. A member of the Yemeni Shura Council and military expert opined that the rockets being fired into Israel should be seen more as "a cry for help" than an actual threat to peace and security. A prominent tribal leader and MP offered that the real root of the problem was the lack of Palestinian unity between Fatah and Hamas to deal with Israel. This MP, who also spoke at the large demonstration in Sana'a on December 28, expressed surprise - echoed by the other guests - that the demonstrations had thus far been more pro-Hamas in nature than generally pro-Palestinian. He offered this as evidence of Hamas' effectiveness in bending Arab public opinion to their side. All of the guests agreed that it would be better for the USG to be silent on the issue rather than to make statements about the humanitarian situation in Gaza, as such statements are perceived in Yemen as not addressing the central issue of the continuing violence in the region. PROTESTS CONTINUE, BUT ON A SMALLER SCALE -------------- 8.(U) The massive protests Yemen witnessed at the end of December gave way to continued but smaller-scale demonstrations in the new year. Demonstrations in solidarity with the Palestinians have been reported throughout the country, organized by political parties, NGOs, and professional organizations. Despite the continuing protests, the number of Yemenis attending the demonstrations has steadily declined since the 40,000 person-strong demonstration on December 28 at al-Thawra stadium (see reftel). A protest organized on January 4 by the teachers' union in Sana'a drew only 500 protestors. BRYAN