ABU DHABI: The United Arab Emirates has welcomed the announcement of the Special Envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, to reach an agreement between the Yemeni parties to work on a roadmap to support the peace process, expressing hope that it will be achieved and signed soon.

In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) commended the efforts of the UN and its special envoy, as well as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Sultanate of Oman, in their pursuit to find a sustainable political solution, to the Yemeni crisis to enhance peace and stability in Yemen and the region.

The Ministry emphasised the UAE’s support of all regional and international efforts in finding a political solution in Yemen that achieves the aspirations of the Yemeni people for security, development, and stability.

Furthermore, the Ministry reaffirmed the UAE’s commitment to stand by the Yemeni people and support their legitimate aspirations for development and prosperity as part of its effo
rts to support the interests of the region’s people.
Source: Emirates News Agency

Pope Francis today called for an end to the Israeli military operations in Gaza that killed more than 20,000 Palestinians, mainly children, and for a solution to the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.

“I plead for an end to the military operations with their appalling harvest of innocent civilian victims, and call for a solution to the desperate humanitarian situation by an opening to the provision of humanitarian aid,” the Pope told the thousands who gathered in Saint Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican to hear his Christmas message.

He called for the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict “through sincere and persevering dialogue between the parties, sustained by strong political will and the support of the international community.”

In his Christmas Eve message the day before, Pope Francis also called for peace in the Holy Land.

“Tonight, our hearts are in Bethlehem, where the Prince of Peace is once more rejected by the futile logic of war, by the clash of arms that even today prevents him
from finding room in the world,” he said.

Christmas was canceled in Bethlehem in solidarity with the people in the Gaza Strip who have been suffering under relentless Israeli bombardment for 80 straight days that killed 20,258 civilians and wounded 53,688 others, more than 70 percent of them were children and women, as well as the destruction of more than 80 percent of the homes.
Source: Palestine News and Information Agency – WAFA