UK Foreign Minister Ivan Lewis has confirmed that those among a group of 40 Jewish families living in Raidah, Yemen, with connections to Britain, either family or historical links, can move safely to Britain. Said Mr. Lewis:
“The Jews in the town of are at serious risk in terms of violence from Islamic tribal groups.”
After the vast majority of Yemen’s 60 thousand Jews were evacuated to Israel in 1949 and 1950, a remaining group of 1500 was discovered in the late 1980’s, 500 of which stayed in Yemen.
Since a civil war broke out in 2004 in northern Yemen between government forces and Shiite Muslim rebels life has become very dangerous for many groups, including Jews.
The Jews who live in the capital have been provided with assistance from Yemen president Ali Abdullah Saleh.