In the previous years, Saudi Arabia helped mediate and resolve many issues in the Arab world. The most significant one is the signing of the 1989 Taif agreement between the warring Lebanese parties to resolve civilian strife in Lebanon.

“There are many examples that has emphasized that Saudi Arabia is always interested in solving political differences in Arab world, such as the issue between Sudan and Chad, and the Lebanese parties. Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah has always invited all the political parties to solve their differences through negotiations,” Jameel Al-Thiabi, managing editor of Al-Hayat daily, told Arab News.

“Saudi Arabia hosted many initiatives to resolve political differences between neighboring countries. The Kingdom proved that it has the wisdom to solve the political problems in the Arab world,” said Mohammed Al-Tunisi, the editor in chief of Okaz newspaper.

Many Yemeni residents in Saudi Arabia too expressed their happiness at the signing of the Gulf initiative by Ali Abdullah Saleh, the Yemeni president, and the opposition parties in Riyadh.

The Yemeni residents think that the Gulf initiative helps to address the political and economic difficulties in Yemen. They are thankful that the Saudi government for taking the lead in ending the conflict, and also express their gratitude for the Kingdom’s efforts to help Yemen.

“The Gulf initiative helps to open a new page in my country and to allow for new presidential elections in Yemen. The Saudi government has made great efforts to persuade all the political parties in Yemen to sign the Gulf initiative,” Abdul Rahman Ghanem, a Yemeni resident in Jeddah, told Arab News.

“No one believed that the Yemeni president would sign the Gulf initiative. Indeed it was a great Saudi Arabian diplomacy that ended the crisis. The Yemeni people can now taste democracy,” he added.

“I think that Yemen will go through a difficult stage after the signing of the Gulf initiative. But we’ll manage. There are many Yemenis who did not want the Governor Party in a coalition government with the opposition,” said Mona Salem, a Yemeni  resident in Jeddah and working in the private sector.

Some Yemeni residents in the Kingdom think that the youth of the revolution, who have been gathering in the Yemeni cities could refuse the Gulf initiative. “I think that the youth of the Yemeni revolution could refuse the Gulf initiative and demand a trial of Ali Abdullah Saleh,” said Aboud Salah, Yemeni president in Riyadh.