Saleh receives flotilla activists

SANA’A, June 05 ( Saba) – President Ali Abdullah Saleh has received the three Yemeni activists who participated in the Freedom Flotilla that was stormed last week by Israeli commandos while on its way to deliver aid to the people in the Palestinian Gaza strip. The three lawmakers returned home on Friday coming from Jordan and Turkey. After the Israeli assault that has drawn global condemnation and protest, Yemen urged Israel to transfer its nationals through borders of friend countries. They briefed President Saleh on what they faced at the hands of Israelis during the heinous attack on the ship convoy in international waters. Our participation in the flotilla came to express the solidarity of the Yemeni people with the Palestinian people in blockaded Gaza and the Palestinian territories, they said. They also recounted the incident telling Saleh how activists were killed and injured. For part, Saleh congratulated their safe return and told them that the participation was a good step within all efforts aimed at lifting the Israeli blockade on Gaza imposed since 2007. We are not against any country or religion, however, Yemen is against the Israeli occupation and expanded settlements, Saleh said. He also said that Yemen is with the implementation of international resolutions on establishing the Palestinian statehood. We hope that the Israeli arrogance and aggressive attack on the flotilla will serve the efforts to end the blockade of Gaza, he said. MB/FRSaba