AL-MUKALLA, Yemen: Yemen’s foreign minister said his country will not normalize relations with Israel until the Palestinians get their own sovereign state with Jerusalem as its capital, as envisaged under the Saudi-proposed Arab Peace Initiative.
Yemen “will always stand by” the Palestinian people “until they achieve their inalienable rights,” Mohammed Al-Hadrami tweeted shortly after Bahrain agreed to sign a peace deal with Israel.
His comments echoed those he made last month after the UAE and Israel announced the normalization of ties.
Clashes
Fighting subsided on Saturday in the northern Yemeni province of Jouf, a day after the army and allied tribesmen captured two Houthi field commanders and seized a command and communications room, army spokesman Rabia Al-Qurashi told Arab News.
Meanwhile, the Defense Ministry announced on Saturday the killing of 35 Houthis, including four high-ranking field commanders, just outside Houthi-held Sanaa after army troops and coalition warplanes targeted their locations.
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The ministry said loyalists seized a military vehicle and destroyed three others during fighting with Houthis in the areas of Al-Jafra, Al-Saleb and Najeb Al-Ateq.
Coalition warplanes on Saturday launched airstrikes on various military locations in Sanaa, residents told Arab News.
Displacement
Ongoing Houthi military operations in the provinces of Marib, Jouf and Al-Bayda have displaced 2,945 families, the government said.
It added that thousands of families have crossed into the city of Marib — which has enjoyed peace and security since early 2015 — fleeing heavy battles and Houthi incursions into their home cities and villages.
The new arrivals are in desperate need of shelter, food, drinking water and medication, the government said.
Local and international aid and right groups have warned that the Houthi military assault outside the city of Marib will exacerbate Yemen’s humanitarian crisis and displace thousands more people.
