Thousands of Yemenis march in support of Iraq, Palestinians
March 23, 2002, 05:46 PM
SANAA (AFP) - Tens of thousands of people marched in Yemen calling for Arab support for the Palestinians and an end to the UN embargo on Iraq, witnesses said.
The demonstrators, who took to the streets of Zhomar, 90 kilometers (55 miles) south of Sanaa, and Hadramout, 800 kilometers (500 miles) east of the capital, urged Arab heads of state meeting in Beirut next week to oppose any US military strike on Iraq.
In Zhomar, demonstrators burned Israeli flags and an effigy of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, witnesses said.
Thousands had rallied in Sanaa Friday in support of Iraq and the 18-month Palestinian intifada or uprising, burning an effigy of Sharon.
They chanted slogans against normalization with Israel, an apparent jibe at a Saudi Middle East peace blueprint due to be presented for endorsement to the Arab summit next Wednesday and Thursday.
Yemeni political parties issued a statement Saturday urging the Arabs to "provide money and weapons" to the Palestinians and to "reject any initiative aimed at thwarting the intifada."
"The United States and Israel are the sponsors of terrorism in the world and Sharon must be tried as a war criminal," the statement said
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