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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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