UAE authorities helped reunite two Yemeni Jewish families with relatives in Yemen and the UK, whom they had not seen in decades.

The first family of 15 members were reunited in Abu Dhabi on Sunday after authorities in the United Arab Emirates facilitated the travel of their family members from Yemen and London, according to the official Wam news agency   .

Yitzhak Fayez, 35, said he had not seen his grandparents and uncle since he was a child, after moving to the UK from Yemen. Fayez’s grandfather, grandmother and uncle were airlifted from Yemen, as he and 11 family members, including five great-grandchildren, arrived from London.

“The last time I saw them was in childhood,” he said. “They are meeting their great-grandchildren today for the first time. “

The family was separated due to the situation in Yemen and financial difficulties. “Today the UAE made my family’s dream come true after we lost hope of reuniting, after 21 years of separation.

Fayez also expressed his gratitude for the solidarity and support they received from the UAE leadership.

Fayez’s mother, Losa Fayez, said the reunion ended 21 years of suffering, while Soliman Fayez, grandfather, and Sham’a Soliman, grandmother, said they were delighted with the reunion family in Abu Dhabi, describing this moment as one that will be forever etched in his memory.

The second family, the Salem family, was also reunited on Sunday after being separated for 15 years.

Haron Salem, his wife and two children were flown from Yemen to meet their relative who lives in Abu Dhabi. “Words cannot express how grateful we are to the United Arab Emirates. We are very happy to be reunited here with our family member. The United Arab Emirates are truly the homeland of love, tolerance and peace, ”he said.

Health and preventive measures against Covid-19 had been taken by all members of the two Yemeni families for their safety before the meeting.

The UAE authorities said they organized the reunion of the two Yemeni families in Abu Dhabi as part of a new humanitarian gesture that embodies the United Arab Emirates’ firm approach to strengthen human brotherhood and defend the values ​​of peace, brotherhood, solidarity and preservation of human dignity. khaleejtimes