Obama success-story Yemen tells Jews to convert, self-deport or 'risk being killed'

Greg P. | 1:07 PM on October 11, 2015

And Yemen — which President Obama heralded as a success story a year ago when outlining how his administration would fight ISIS — just got worse.

According to a report in the Jerusalem Post, Yemen’s remaining Jews have been told to “convert, leave or risk being killed”:

Houthis to Jews: convert or leave Yemen http://t.co/BlUlxb1knw #Diaspora pic.twitter.com/JKoGsrfbVn

— The Jerusalem Post (@Jerusalem_Post) October 11, 2015

My bad, I wrote Houthis and meant Hadis. The Hadis are telling Jews in Yemen to convert, leave, or risk being killed.

— Lahav Harkov is off this week (@LahavHarkov) October 11, 2015

BREAKING: According to @LahavHarkov .The Government of Yemen has ordered all Jews in the country convert to Islam or be deported from #Yemen

— News_Executive (@News_Executive) October 11, 2015

Intl news: Houthis decree #Yemen Jews convert or be deported. Odd bc Jews lived in Saada centuries, last threats fr Wahabbis @LahavHarkov

— Jane Novak (@JNovak_Yemen) October 11, 2015

. @AsafRonel @LahavHarkov yes Zaidis & Jews lived in Saada #Yemen for centuries peacefully, new Houthi offshoot didn't threaten before

— Jane Novak (@JNovak_Yemen) October 11, 2015

https://twitter.com/screwlabour/status/653229953467723776

There are an estimated 200 Jews left in Yemen, down from 50,000 in the “mid-20th century.” From the Jerusalem Post:

been given a stark choice by their government: convert to Islam or flee the country, acting Regional Cooperation Minister Ayoub Kara announced on Sunday.

According to the Druze lawmaker, who maintains ties with contacts across the Arab world, a representative of Yemen’s small Jewish community informed him of an ultimatum from from their country’s government.

The Jews were told to “convert or leave the state,” the Likud MK told The Jerusalem Post, adding that the unnamed Jewish representative “requested that I take care of this.”

Yemen boasted a Jewish population of more than 50,000 during the mid-20th century; there are now fewer than 100 Jews in the capital, with another community of similar size in the northern town of Raida. The majority of the country’s Jews immigrated to Israel shortly after the establishment of the state.