Yemeni prime minister: Jews' visits to Yemen started in 1982 and will continue

Yemeni Prime Minister Abdul Karim al-Iryani has stated that Yemen will continue to permit the visits of Jewish tourists despite the heated controversy resulting from the two visits made by Jews of Yemeni origin to Yemen.

AFP on Wednesday quoted al-Iryani as saying in a statement to the London-based al-Sharq al-Awsat daily that the two visits by the Israeli groups will not be the first or the last as far as the tourists do not carry Israeli passports, adding that Jewish tourists have been visiting Yemen since 1982.

The Yemeni opposition parties last week criticized the government over permitting the two visits of Jewish groups in an implicit attempt to maintain ties with Israel.

However, Yemen refuses to establish relations with Israel before reaching a comprehensive peace settlement in the Middle East. Yemen also does not permit the visits of Jews who carry Israeli passports or the passport of a third country bearing the Israeli stamp.