Yemeni protesters in occupied Socotra denounce Israel normalization

Scores of people in the Yemeni Island of Socotra have rallied against the recent revelations of Arab-Israeli normalization deals.

According to Press TV, holding hand-written placards in support of Palestine on Saturday, the protesters rejected the controversial normalization of ties between Israel and the two Arab countries of the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.

US President Donald Trump presided over the signing ceremony of the normalization agreements between Israel, the UAE and Bahrain at the White House on Tuesday.

However, Palestinians and other Muslim states rejected the treaties with Israel, as a betrayal of the Palestinian cause against the Israeli occupation.

The islanders, who were carrying Yemeni flags, also rallied against UAE colonial schemes for Socotra Archipelago, part of Yemen seized in June by the UAE-backed so-called Southern Transitional Council (STC), demanding the withdrawal of the occupiers.

The violence in Socotra comes after the UAE-backed separatists declared self-rule in Yemen’s south earlier this year and seized control of the city of Aden, sparking fears of fresh chaos in a country already embroiled in five years of conflict.

Last summer, the UAE announced it was ending its role in the conflict. However, observers believe the Persian Gulf Arab country continues to be active through its proxies.

Before its withdrawal, the UAE set up a military base in Socotra, which enjoys a strategic location overlooking a vital international shipping lane.

It also awarded Emirati citizenship to hundreds of residents and has recruited scores of others to help consolidate its grip over the island.

The separatists have long sought southern Yemen to secede.

ME