Saleh looking for a mechanism to activate GCC proposal

Anti-government protesters in Taghyeer Square in Sanaa. Sana’a - Agencies Hundreds of Thousands of Yemenis took to the streets of the capital Sana’a to express support for the regime of President Ali Abdullah Saleh or to call for his departure and bring him to justice along with other senior members of his government, while the main squares of other 16 provinces have been filled with anti government crowds. The anti Saleh supporters gathered in the 60th street and they called their gathering today the “Friday of victorious God willing” while the pro regime supporters gathered in the 70th square calling it the “Friday of solidarity and protection of constitutional legitimacy.”

“God most merciful, grant us victory in (the Muslim holy fasting month of) Ramadan,” protesters chanted in Sittine Road, in a western district of the capital Sana’a.

“Revolt, revolt to all people against the tyrants,” they chanted on what they have named the Friday of “achieving victory.”

“Revolt, revolt to all people against the tyrants,” they chanted on what they have named the Friday of “achieving victory.”

The protesters also called for “building a new Yemen.”

Similar protesters took place in the second-largest city Taez, as well as in Ibb, Hudaydah, Saada, Aden and Marib.

Meanwhile, Mr. Saleh’s supporters rallied in tens of thousands in Sabiine Square in Sana’s southern district chanting “the people want Ali Abdullah Saleh.”

This gathering comes two days after president Saleh’s meeting with leaders of the ruling party in Yemen, in Saudi Arabia, Riyadh. The meeting which took place last Tuesday was to discuss the American and European pressures facing the Yemeni president in order to sign the GCC proposal which calls upon the Yemeni president to transfer his powers to his deputy immediately. Sources close to president Saleh have expressed their disappointment at the international pressures put against them and decided to look at the options they have and put a time schedule which the GCC initiative have outlined. Opposition sources told Arabstoday that the United States and Britain and Germany have requested Saleh to sign the agreement which would give him immunity from being brought to trials after advising him not to return to Yemen so he can avoid being trialled, in addition that such a return would allow a civil war on a wider scale to erupt. These developments conceded with an attack against an army patrol in Taaz, south of the country. Yemeni news agency SABA described the attack which has wounded 2 soldiers that was carried out by outlaw armed gangs. Taaz has been for many months a stage for demonstration calling for the president to leave the country and come own from power.