Page 10 - ARUBA TODAY

A10 WORLD NEWS
Thursday 16 May 2019

UN envoy urges new pullouts from Yemen ports and peace steps

By EDITH M. LEDERER early shoots, must be pro-
Associated Press tected from the threat of
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — war,” Griffiths said. “We
The U.N. envoy for Yemen must not allow war to take
urged the warring parties peace off the table.”
Wednesday to maintain U.N. humanitarian chief
the momentum of the ini- Mark Lowcock told the
tial pullout of Houthi rebel council that 10 million Ye-
forces from three ports by menis are relying on food
moving quickly to larger assistance to survive and
joint withdrawals — and to “the specter of famine still
work urgently on a political looms.”
solution to the devastating A resurgent cholera out-
conflict. break has affected 300,000
Martin Griffiths told the Se- people so far this year —
curity Council there are compared to 370,000 dur-
“signs of hope” but also ing all of 2018, he said.
“alarming signs in recent Henrietta Fore, head of
days” that progress can the U.N. children’s agency
be threatened, noting that UNICEF, told the council
war often trumps peace. that since the fighting be-
He pointed to an escala- gan in Yemen four years
tion of violence in Yemen’s This Sept. 29, 2018 file photo shows idle cargo and oil tanker ships at the port of Hodeida, Yemen. ago, 7,300 children have
southern Dhale province, Associated Press been killed or injured, and
which had been under the been fighting the Houthis 14. The port at Hodeida phase involves a withdraw- the numbers are no doubt
control of forces loyal to since 2015. handles about 70 percent al of 18 to 30 kilometers (11 higher because these are
the internationally recog- The fighting in the Arab of Yemen’s commercial to 18 1/2 miles), depending verified numbers.
nized government. He also world’s poorest country has and humanitarian imports. on the location and fight- She said 360,000 children
expressed serious concern killed thousands of civilians, He said the withdrawals ers. are suffering from severe
at news of a drone attack left millions suffering from must be followed by “con- Both sides have agreed acute malnutrition and half
Tuesday on oil facilities in food and medical care crete actions” by the gov- on the operational plan the children under the age
neighboring Saudi Arabia, shortages and pushed the ernment and the Houthis for phase one and Griffiths of five — 2.5 million — are
saying “we cannot ignore country to the brink of fam- to deliver on their commit- urged them to agree on stunted, “and stunting is ir-
how these developments ine. ments to further redeploy- the plan for phase two. reversible.”
affect the political pro- “Yemen remains at the ments under the agree- He urged the Security “Yemen is spiraling perilous-
cess.” crossroads between war ment signed in Sweden in Council to welcome the ly close to the brink,” Fore
The conflict in Yemen be- and peace,” Griffiths said, December. redeployments, urge the said.
gan with the 2014 takeover despite the significance of A U.N. official has said the parties to work quickly to She urged the parties to
of the capital, Sanaa, by the U.N.-monitored Houthi first phase of redeployment implement the remaining agree to “days of tranquil-
the Iran-backed Houthis. withdrawals from the key involves a pullback of sev- withdrawals, and work ur- ity” to vaccinate children
A Saudi-led coalition allied port of Hodeida and the eral kilometers (miles) by gently with the U.N. on a — and to enable 15 million
with the internationally rec- smaller ports of Salif and the Houthis and coalition political solution. Yemeni children to live in
ognized government has Ras Issa between May 11- forces, and the second “These beginnings, these peace.q
Palestinians mark anniversary of mass displacement

By FARES AKRAM fighting. A Qatari envoy, they endanger the lives of
Associated Press who has been helping innocent civilians,” the Is-
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) mediate the cease-fire, raeli military said.
— Palestinians on Wednes- has urged Hamas to keep The demonstrations were
day marked the 71st an- Wednesday’s demonstra- marking what is known as
niversary of their mass dis- tion restrained. the “nakba,” or “catastro-
placement during the 1948 However, Gaza’s health phe,” in which hundreds
war around Israel’s cre- authorities said 60 protest- of thousands of Palestin-
ation with protests across ers were wounded, 16 by ians fled or were forced
the West Bank and the Israeli live fire and 14 with from their homes during the
Gaza Strip. rubber-coated steel pel- war surrounding Israel’s es-
Thousands of people lets, including three med- tablishment. Today, there
streamed to the Gaza-Is- ics, as the demonstrations are an estimated 5 million
rael frontier as the militant ended. Palestinian refugees across
Hamas group, which con- In east Gaza City, huge the Middle East.
trols Gaza, announced A man holding anti-Eurovision banner confronts an Israeli plumes of smoke billowed Hamas said that easing
a general strike, closing border policeman as Palestinian marked the 71st anniversary behind the fence as Israeli Gaza’s economic hardship
schools and public institu- of their mass displacement during the 1948 war around Israel’s farmland caught fire by ar- was not a substitute for the
tions to allow for a large creation. son devices launched by Palestinian demand for a
turnout. Associated Press the protesters. right of return. “No one will
For a year, Hamas has ade. contested Jerusalem. The Israeli military said pro- make us forget our cause
staged protests every Fri- More than 60 Palestinians This year’s demonstra- testers hurled stones and and we don’t accept that
day along the perimeter were killed at last year’s tion, however, comes two explosives toward troops our cause is turned into
fence dividing Israel and demonstration, which co- weeks after a cease-fire and approached the food and drink,” said Khalil
Gaza, demanding an end incided with the opening was reached to end a fence. “These are terrorist- al-Hayya, a senior Hamas
to an Israeli-Egyptian block- of the new U.S. Embassy in fierce two-day round of backed violent riots and official. q