The U.S.'s Secret Operation to Save Yemeni Jews

State Department officials are running a clandestine operation in Yemen to resettle the nation’s Jews in America and Israel, The Wall Street Journal reports. In all, about 60 Yemeni Jews have resettled in the U.S. since July, and 100 more are on their way. Others will be sent to Israel while some will be left behind in Yemen in a “government enclave,” to protect them from mounting violence in the small Arab country. The impoverished nation has become unstable, and is a suspected haven for terrorists. Analysts say al Qaeda operatives are trying to form a stronghold there. The U.S. took a risk in removing the Yemeni Jews, since it might be criticized for favoritism at a time when many refugees around the world are suffering. But the State Department was seeking to prevent an embarrassment for its embattled Arab ally. Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh was trying to protect the Jews, but was failing due to internal fighting in his country. If there had been bloodshed, it might have affected the Obama administration’s ability to rally support for the nation. Last year, a prominent Yemeni Jew was gunned down outside his home.