Sanaa – Yemen’s culture minister, who was recently honored for her work combatting extremism and discrimination against women, says she is giving her award to Yemen’s dwindling Jewish population.
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Arwa Othman won Human Rights Watch’s Alison Des Forges Award in September. At a Thursday celebration in Sanaa, Othman called for “tolerance” and dedicated her award to “brothers and friends from the Jewish community.”
Othman has been subjected to a smear campaign by hard-line Salafi groups because of her civil rights work and support for the Jewish community.
According to the Jewish Agency, fewer than 90 Jews live in Yemen — half of them in a guarded compound which protects the U.S. Embassy in the capital of Sanaa. They are often subject to attacks by both Sunni and Shiite Muslim militants.
About 120 Jews are still in Yemen.
Bravery should always be noted. Kudos to her for putting herself in harm’s way.