Hundreds of Yemenis demonstrated in Aden Governorate, which is controlled by Emirati-backed forces, on Thursday, to protest the Emirati normalization agreement with Israel.
The participants roamed the streets of Aden (in the south of the country) carrying banners denouncing this agreement. They also raised the flags of the State of Palestine and burned the Israeli flag.
A statement issued by the Southern Movement forces calling for the demonstration confirmed that Yemen was the first to support the Palestinian cause, and that it rejects normalization with Israel and considers it a betrayal of the entire nation and a stabbing of the Palestinian cause in its back.
A week ago, the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council welcomed - in a statement - Abu Dhabi’s decision to establish official relations with Tel Aviv, describing it as a "courageous decision."
Demonstration today in Aden against the Emirati normalization with Israel pic.twitter.com/LnxwtDsNtm
- Jamal Seif Al-Socotri (@ Jamalseefalsog1) August 20, 2020
And last Thursday, US President Donald Trump announced that the UAE and Israel had reached an agreement to normalize relations between them, describing it as "historic."
The agreement was met with widespread Palestinian condemnation from the government and prominent factions, such as Hamas, Fatah and Islamic Jihad.
The announcement of the normalization agreement between Tel Aviv and Abu Dhabi comes as the culmination of a long series of cooperation, coordination, communication and exchange of visits between them.