SANAA, November 13 (Sputnik)Ā ā The wave ofĀ violent mass demonstrations, protests and civil wars known asĀ the Arab Spring was part ofĀ an Israeli-US plan, former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh said Thursday inĀ an interview withĀ Sputnik.
“The so-called Arab Spring was a US-Israeli plan and has nothing toĀ do withĀ Arab people. Its aim was toĀ spread chaos, destroy the regimes and the Arab world countries,” Saleh said.
“What was called the Arab Spring is now over. It disappeared because there was nothing new inĀ it. By and large, it only succeeded inĀ the splitting ofĀ nations and the creation ofĀ chaos and conflicts amongĀ the citizens ofĀ one countryā¦ Just look what happened inĀ Syria, inĀ Libya or inĀ Yemen,” Saleh added.
The Arab Spring began inĀ Arab countries inĀ December 2010. While the demonstrations were mostly overĀ by 2012, the protests escalated internal conflicts inĀ several countries, which inĀ turn led toĀ regime changes. Rulers have been forced fromĀ power inĀ Yemen, Libya, Tunisia and Egypt.
Former Yemeni President Says Unwilling toĀ Lead Country Again
Former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh inĀ an interview withĀ Sputnik onĀ Thursday said that he has no plans toĀ lead the country again, despiteĀ the fact that he still has many supporters.
“There is no way I would agree toĀ return toĀ power. I have been fulfilling my duty duringĀ 33 years. I host guests, my friends and members ofĀ the General People’s Congress. I do not interfere withĀ the government’s actions and public administration, I am an ordinary citizen,” Saleh told Sputnik.
The former president said also that his older son Ahmed Saleh, who is currently the country’s ambassador toĀ the United Arab Emirates, is not going toĀ run forĀ presidency either.
“Under current circumstances, no. The situation is tense, the country is fractured, broken, the economy is weak, there are problems withĀ security, so I don’t think he would agree toĀ be inĀ such position,” Saleh said.
In 2012, anti-government protesters inĀ Yemen forced the autocratic president toĀ step downĀ after 33 years inĀ power.
Following the power transition inĀ the country, Yemen has seen an increase inĀ terrorist activity, particularly byĀ al-Qaeda fighters. The Houthis, the main opposition force inĀ Yemen, have recently been carrying outĀ protests inĀ the country, demanding the resignation ofĀ the current Yemeni government, which they say is corrupt and has marginalized the country’s Shiite community. Houthi militias have taken overĀ many Yemeni cities, including parts ofĀ the capital Sanaa. SOURCE
