Omran, Yemen – Jews Refuse Government’s Relocation Offer

Omran, Yemen – The leaders of the Jewish community in the Omran district in northern Yemen rejected an offer by Yemen’s President Ali Abdullah Saleh to relocate them to the city of Sana’a after a member of the community was murdered and others reported that they were subjected to systematic violence and severe harassment by Muslims.

A Jewish teacher was murdered in the district three weeks ago, and a hand grenade was thrown at the home of a Jewish family.

The community rejected the President’s offer because — while giving the Jews small plots of land — it did not include financial aid. The Jewish leaders said this means that they would lose all of their property and possessions without any compensation. This is what happened to the Jews of Sa’ada in 2007, they said, under similar circumstances.

According to Yemen Times, Saleh had instructed his office to grant a small piece of land in Sana’a – about 222 square meters – for every Jewish family in Raidah in order to facilitate their transfer to the capital city. He also ordered $2,000 to be paid for the funeral expenses of the slain teacher.

We live in fear and suffer abuse at the hands of Muslim groups which demand that we convert to Islam or leave the area,” a Jewish leader said. He added that more than 270 Jews in the Rayad quarter in the district stopped going to work some weeks ago, after receiving threats on their lives.

The community leaders want to be transferred to a safe city like Sana’a, Ib or Ta’iz, “where the citizens are educated and do not routinely carry a firearm,” according to News1.

The trial of the teacher’s suspected killer, Abdulaziz Hamoud Al-Abdi, 39, is delayed until next Saturday. While official statements claim that a group of eight men were arrested for suspected involvement in the crime, tribal people from the area deny this, and state that they are hiding under the protection of a tribal sheik in Amran.

Security forces are reportedly present in the area at this time, in order to protect the Jews from being targeted again. They are also searching for the extremist group said to have instigated the murder.