Saleh: open borders for youth
On TV, Yemeni President Saleh reiterates his call for envoking the mutual defense treaty, governmental financial support of Palestinians and a transit corridor for youth to travel freely to join “the forces of resistance.”
YT: “Arabs mustn’t be transformed into police to protect Israel, which never considers any international legitimacy decisions. Likewise, we mustn’t care about any international conventions that allowed Israel to use force against innocent people,” Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh said in an interview Al-Arabiya Television aired Saturday, reacting to Israel’s military action against Lebanon and Palestine.
He added that all parties, both Arabs and non-Arabs, must respect international legitimacy.
“It’s the right of Arabs to resist occupation in southern Lebanon, Palestine and Syria. Why do the international community and the European Union allow Israel to defend itself? It’s every nation’s right to struggle for independence and liberation and it’s the right of Lebanese, Palestinians and Syrians too to fight occupation forces that are backed by several nations,” Saleh went on.
The Yemeni leader continued, “Our support for our brothers is legal. We must back Palestinians without fear, as this has nothing to do with fanaticism or partiality.”
Saleh also stressed the necessity of activating an agreement on joint Arab defense. He noted that Arabs constitute a unified nation, that Palestine is part of this nation and that homes struck in Palestine belong to Arabs.
“Activating the joint defense agreement is due to force Israel to bear in mind that it is in a real confrontation with Arabs. But if the situation continues unchecked, Israel will continue its aggression against Arabs and violate international legitimacy,” Saleh said.
Mentioning Arab nations’ commitments to pay their financial obligations to Palestine, Saleh clarified that if the joint defense agreement succeeds, Arab nations can fulfill their financial obligations to Palestinians via the Arab League and open the borders for youth to resist the occupation; then Israel will be forced to change its policy.
Regarding domestic affairs, Saleh likened governance in Yemen to a person dancing on the heads of serpents; if he’s not on high alert, they will bite him. “We dialogued with elements of terrorism and returned them to the right track,” he commented.
Speakers at protests echo the same themes:
Meanwhile, the protestors renewed their calls for Arab leaders to “open the doors for jihad.” “We demand borders be opened for us to join our brothers in Palestine and Lebanon. What’s the value of life if we keep watching them die day and night?” noted Ali Al-Harazi, who concluded his speech by blaming the neighboring countries of Lebanon and Palestine. Some participants at the demonstration also raised banners with slogans reading, “No dignity for Arabs without jihad” and “Jihad protects the nation’s dignity.”
Parliament donates YR3.5M to the resistance.
