Two more Yemen families flown out to UAE

Two more Jewish families from Yemen have been flown out to the UAE, where they were reunited with members of their family living in the UK and Abu Dhabi respectively. The families were effusive in their thanks to the UAE. The Fayez family consists of the parents of Losa Fayez and her uncle. The Salem family were a family of four. By this blog's reckoning, this leaves just 31 Jews in Yemen, most living in a compound in the capital.  The Jerusalem Post reports (with thanks: Jeremy):

 Yitzhak Fayez, 35, told WAM (Emirati News) that he had not seen his grandparents and uncle since he was a child, when he moved to the UK from Yemen. 

He and 11 family members from London, including five great grandchildren, met with Fayez's grandparents and uncle from Yemen. "They are today meeting their great grandchildren for the first time," said Fayez. "Today, the UAE made my family's dream come true after we had lost hope on getting reunited, after 21 years of separation." 

"The saying goes: those that give water to the thirsty, will live in prosperity for the rest of their lives," added Fayez. "This is what the UAE has done for us. The people of peace, of bliss, of love."

   

 Fayez's mother, Losa, said that the reunion had put an end to 21 years of suffering. "I'm living a dream, not quite sure if it's a dream or reality," said Losa. 

 "Only Almighty God is able to reward the UAE for this deed. What they have done for us is unparalleled by any means. Humans aren't capable to return this favor," said Yousif Habeeb, a family member. The second family, the Salem family, was reunited after 15 years apart. Haron Salem, his wife and two children flew from Yemen to visit their relative who lives in Abu Dhabi. 

"Words cannot express how grateful we are to the UAE. We are very happy being here reunited with our family member. The UAE is truly the homeland of love, tolerance and peace," said Salem. Rabbi Elie Abadie, the senior rabbi of the Jewish community in the UAE, thanked the government for reuniting the Jewish families, in a video on Twitter, adding in a separate tweet that he was honored to have taken part in uniting the families. 

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 In August last year, the al-Nati family, who live in northern Yemen, were flown out to Abu Dhabi and reunited with relatives from the UK at the airport. (Story here.) Their departure left one old lady, her crazed brother and three others in Amran province. (As far as is known Levi Salem Musa Marhabi is still in jail there). It is probable that the Salem family were living in the government compound in Sana'a the capital..