R 301213Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY SANAA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 0853
INFO ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SANAA 002062 
 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/IPA, DS/IP/NEA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KPAO KPAL YM
SUBJECT: YEMENI PROTESTORS OUT IN FORCE IN REACTION TO GAZA 
'MASSACRE' 
 
SUMMARY 
------- 
¶1.  Massive protests have been organized throughout Yemen since 
December 27, continuing into the 30, in reaction to the Israeli 
military operations in the Gaza Strip.  Yemeni government officials, 
political parties, labor unions, and human rights organizations have 
issued statements condemning the attacks.  While some anti-American 
rhetoric has been interwoven with the anti-Israeli sentiment of the 
protests, more ire has been focused on the Arab governments' 
reaction to the crisis, particularly the Egyptian government. 
According to press reports, the Egyptian consulate in the southern 
city of Aden was overrun by protestors on December 30.  End 
Summary. 
 
YEMENIS GATHER FOR PROTESTS, EXPRESS ANGER WITH EGYPT 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
¶2.  An estimated 40,000 protestors gathered in al-Thawra soccer 
stadium on December 28 as tens of thousands choked Sana'a's streets 
in a show of popular solidarity with the Gazans.  The protestors 
listened to speeches from ruling and opposition party leaders 
condemning the attacks and "America providing cover" for Israel's 
actions.  Several speakers called for a "boycott" of the United 
States.  Thousands of Yemeni women gathered on December 29 in 
al-Dhurafi stadium, near the center of Sana'a.  Protestors called on 
Arab leaders to boycott ties with Israel, offer monetary support for 
the Palestinian people and to open the Rafah crossing with the Gaza 
Strip on a permanent basis.  Another women's protest took place on 
December 30 in al-Dhurafi stadium. 
 
¶3.  On the morning of December 30, the focus of the protests turned 
to the role of Arab governments in solving the crisis, with an 
estimated crowd of 5000 protestors gathering near the Egyptian 
embassy in Sana'a in protest of the GOE's refusal to open its border 
with Gaza.  In Aden, regional Arabic-language media is reporting 
that hundreds of protestors stormed the Egyptian consulate in the 
former capital of South Yemen.  Protestors reportedly tore down the 
Egyptian flag and replaced it with a Palestinian one. 
 
¶4.  There were similar protests reported throughout Yemen's major 
cities, including Aden, Ta'iz, Hodaydah, and Ibb.  Students of the 
Aden University demonstrated on December 28 and condemned "the 
US-backed Israeli massacres in Gaza" as well as "Arab agents for 
Israel in Ramallah, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Jordan who have provided 
Gaza on a golden plate to Jews."  In the city of Rada'a 
demonstrators called on leaders of the Arab and Islamic countries 
and the UN Security Council to immediately intervene to stop the 
Israeli "massacres" in Gaza. 
 
 
CONDEMNATIONS, CONDEMNATIONS, AND MORE CONDEMNATIONS 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
¶5.  Many different organs of the ROYG have been quick to condemn the 
Gaza attacks.  President Ali Abdullah Saleh called for Arab unity in 
the face of "the Israeli cruel massacres."  He described the 
developments in Gaza as "a challenge for Arab and Muslims and may be 
a reaction to what happened in Iraq."   Saleh continued, "This is 
their massacre from which they want us to learn democracy.  They 
want us to learn democracy while they kill and bury democracy." 
Foreign Minister Abubakr al-Qirbi denounced what he described as 
"terror practices and war crimes being committed by the Zionist 
enemy against the unarmed and innocent people of the Gaza Strip in 
Palestine." 
 
¶6.  The ruling General People's Congress (GPC) party issued a 
statement condemning the attacks and calling for "massive 
demonstrations until the end of the Israeli aggression on Gaza." 
The GPC statement went on to describe the internal division between 
Palestinian political groups as the main factor that has "weakened 
Arab solidarity with the Palestinian issue, which has encouraged 
Israel to continue its aggressions on the Palestinian people."  The 
GPC called on the Palestinians to "unite and face the fact that the 
internal divisions do not serve the Palestinian cause."  The 
opposition Joint Meeting Parties (JMP) also issued a statement in 
condemnation of "Israeli genocide in the Gaza Strip." 
 
ARAB LEADERSHIP, NOT AMERICA, PLAYS THE SCAPEGOAT 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
¶7.  While harsh criticism for USG policy on Israel-Palestine is 
commonplace in Yemeni protests, this current round of demonstrations 
has largely been devoid of incendiary anti-American sentiment.  The 
Yemeni press has widely reported on steps taken by the ROYG to 
extend the security cordon around the U.S. Embassy in recent days, 
but there has been no serious attempt to protest near the Embassy, 
or to make US policy the center focus of any of the protests. 
 
¶8.  Conversely, these protests have witnessed heretofore 
unprecedented criticism of Arab governments.  In addition to the 
protests at Egypt's diplomatic facilities in Yemen, Yemeni 
journalists have starkly criticized Arab leaders for their lack of 
positive intervention in Gaza.  [Note: To date, there has been no 
public criticism of Hamas in the Yemeni media by the ROYG or any 
other Yemeni source, nor does Post expect there will be.  End Note.] 
 In an essay published in the main government-owned daily newspaper 
"al-Thawra," political scientist and columnist Abdulaziz al-Maqaleh 
called on the Arab people to turn to God to help Gaza, concluding 
that the Arab leadership was impotent to do anything of value. 
Al-Maqaleh said that, "there is no hope for the Arab leaders, they 
did nothing to protect Gaza, despite knowing about the attack in 
advance....Give up on our leaders, only God will help us."  Other 
commentators spoke of an "Arab conspiracy" to allow the Gaza 
operation to continue, in collusion with "international powers." 
 
BRYAN