Legitimate Yemen Govt. Calls for Wide Alliance to Overcome Differences

Yemen President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi. (Reuters)
Yemen President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi. (Reuters)
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Legitimate Yemen Govt. Calls for Wide Alliance to Overcome Differences

Yemen President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi. (Reuters)
Yemen President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi. (Reuters)

The legitimate Yemeni government called on Saturday for opening a new chapter of ties with all political factions,

It also called for forming a wide alliance that overcomes the differences of the past.

The declaration was made after President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi chaired an extraordinary meeting for his aides to discuss the latest developments in the country, in particular the unrest in the capital Sana’a.

The government voiced its support for each side that confronts the Houthi militia and works on ridding Yemen from it.

“All who abandon the alliance with the militia will come under the umbrella of legitimacy,” it stressed in a statement.

It also expressed its concern over the developments in Sana’a in wake of the clashes between the Houthis and supporters of former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who on Saturday called for opening a new chapter of ties in order to end Yemen’s crisis.

The government condemned the criminal Houthi acts in Sana’a, such as the violation of state institutions, places of worship and private properties, adding that not even its allies are safe from its actions.

The legitimate government renewed its support to the Saudi-led Arab coalition aimed at restoring legitimacy in Yemen, saying that it will up its efforts in order to eliminate the Houthi “gang” and liberate the entire country.

It hoped that the wide alliance that it called for would overcome the disputes of the past and pave the way for a new phase in Yemen and unite all sides against the Houthi militia, which is an extension of the Iranian agenda in Yemen.

Yemenis from all political factions, starting with Saleh’s National People’s Congress, to rise up against the Houthis in Sana’a and all provinces “to end this Iranian-backed nightmare.”



Clerics Accuse West Bank Israeli Settlers of Attacking Christian Sites

Latin Patriarch in Jerusalem Pierbattista Pizzaballa walks during the visit of the town of Taybeh, a Christian village in the Israeli-Occupied West Bank, following settler attacks, July 14, 2025. (Reuters)
Latin Patriarch in Jerusalem Pierbattista Pizzaballa walks during the visit of the town of Taybeh, a Christian village in the Israeli-Occupied West Bank, following settler attacks, July 14, 2025. (Reuters)
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Clerics Accuse West Bank Israeli Settlers of Attacking Christian Sites

Latin Patriarch in Jerusalem Pierbattista Pizzaballa walks during the visit of the town of Taybeh, a Christian village in the Israeli-Occupied West Bank, following settler attacks, July 14, 2025. (Reuters)
Latin Patriarch in Jerusalem Pierbattista Pizzaballa walks during the visit of the town of Taybeh, a Christian village in the Israeli-Occupied West Bank, following settler attacks, July 14, 2025. (Reuters)

Christian leaders accused Israeli settlers on Monday of attacking sacred sites in the West Bank, in violence that one said was forcing some to consider quitting the occupied territory.

The Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem, Theophilos III - visiting the Christian town of Taybeh with other Jerusalem-based clerics - said settlers had started a fire near a cemetery and a 5th century church there last week.

"These actions are a direct and intentional threat to our local community ... but also to the historic and religious heritage," the patriarch told diplomats and journalists at a press conference in Taybeh.

Settlers had also attacked homes in the area, he said.

"We call for an immediate and transparent investigation on why the Israeli police did not respond to emergency calls from the local community and why these abhorrent actions continue to go unpunished," he added.

Israel's government spokesperson did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Israel's government had previously said that any acts of violence by civilians are unacceptable and that individuals should not take the law into their own hands.

During the visit, the heads of the churches led locals in prayer as candles flickered in the ruins of the 5th century church of St George. They spoke with residents who described their fears.

B'Tselem and other rights groups say settler violence in the West Bank has risen since the start of Israel's war against Palestinian group Hamas in Gaza in late 2023.

Dozens of Israelis have also been killed in Palestinian street attacks in recent years and the Israeli military has intensified raids across the West Bank.

Palestinian health authorities and witnesses said two men, including a US citizen, were killed by settlers during a confrontation on Friday night.

Fears over violence were pushing Christians to leave the West Bank, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Roman Catholic Patriarch of Jerusalem since 2020, said.

"Unfortunately, the temptation to emigrate is there because of the situation," he added. "This time it's very difficult to see how and when this will finish, and especially for the youth to talk about hope, trust for the future."

Around 50,000 Christian Palestinians live in Jerusalem and in the West Bank, an area that includes many of the faith's most sacred sites including Bethlehem where believers say Jesus was born.

Around 700,000 Israeli settlers live among 2.7 million Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, territories Israel captured from Jordan in the 1967 war, which Palestinians see as part of a future state.