Abdul Rahman al-Eryani | |
|---|---|
عبد الرحمن الإرياني | |
.jpg) Al-Eryani in 1972 | |
| 2ndPresident of the Yemen Arab Republic | |
| In office 5 November 1967 – 13 June 1974 | |
| Prime Minister | |
| Preceded by | Abdullah al-Sallal |
| Succeeded by | Ibrahim al-Hamdi |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1910-06-10)10 June 1910 Iryan,Yemen Vilayet,Ottoman Empire |
| Died | 14 March 1998(1998-03-14) (aged 87) |
| Party | National Yemeni Union |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  North Yemen |
| Battles/wars | North Yemen Civil War |
Abdul Rahman Yahya al-Eryani (Arabic:عبد الرحمن الإرياني,romanized: ʿAbd ar-Raḥmān Yaḥyā al-Iryānī; 10 June 1910[1][2] – 14 March 1998)[3][4] was a Yemeni politician who served as the secondPresident of the Yemen Arab Republic (North Yemen) from 5 November 1967 to 13 June 1974. Originally a leader of theFree Yemeni Movement opposition group during the time of theMutawakkilite Kingdom of Yemen,[5] al-Eryani served as Minister of Religious Endowments under North Yemen's first republican government and later became the only civilian politician to have led Northern Yemen.[5] He was eventuallyoverthrown byIbrahim al-Hamdi and died in exile.
Abd al-Rahman al-Iryani was born in the village of Iryan in 1910. His father, Yahia al-Iryani, was the Chief Judge of theMutawakkilite Kingdom of Yemen and a highly regarded Sharia scholar. His mother, Salwa al-Iryani was well known for her charitable efforts in her village.
Abd al-Rahman started his education in his village Iryan until the age of 16 when he left for the capitalSanaa to study at its famous Sharia School. After a few years, he graduated and worked at the Imam Court until 1937 when he was appointed as a judge for the first time.[6]
According toYossi Melman ofHaaretz, Dorit Mizrahi of theMishpacha Magazine, and an article in the weeklyHaOlam HaZeh, there are allegations that al-Iryani was born Zekharia Hadad to aYemenite Jewish family inIbb.[7][8] According to this version, in 1918, there was a drought in Yemen, which had a severe effect on the Jews, who were generally worse off than the Arabs.[7] Both his parents died, and he was then adopted by the al-Iryani, a powerful Muslim family, and was renamed "Abd al-Rahman al-Iryani" and converted toIslam. At that time, Yemen was ruled byYahya Muhammad Hamid ed-Din, who decreed that all orphaned Jewish children must be disconnected from their religion and be given over for adoption to a Muslim family.[7][8]
According toYemenOnline, the claim of Jewish descent of Abd al-Rahman al-Iryani is a "fantasy". According to this version, Abdul Rahman was not the adopted Zekharia, but his stepbrother.[8] Furthermore, Abdul Raheem, who was close to his stepbrother, Abdul Rahman, was the real Zekharia Hadad. Abdul Raheem is said to have retired in Iryan before dying in 1980, and has dozens of surviving children and grandchildren.[8]
Al-Eryani actively opposed the kings of theKingdom of Yemen, helping to lead theFree Yemeni Movement in pushing for a republic. In February 1948, he participated in theAlwaziri coup against the then ruler of Yemen,Yahya Hamiduddin, aiming at the establishment of a constitutional monarchy. He was imprisoned for about 7 years after the failure of the revolution, which lasted only for 12 days. Al-Eryani was sentenced to death by beheading in 1955 for his activities with the Free Yemeni Movement. However, minutes before his execution, he was granted a reprieve by KingAhmed bin Yahya. He spent a total of 15 years in jail until his release in 1962.[5]
Abdul Rahman Al-Eryani opposed Egyptian and Saudi interference in Yemeni affairs and, with two of his colleagues,Ahmad Muhammad Numan and Mohamad Al-Zubairi, led a strong movement against Egyptian intervention in theNorth Yemen Civil War between republicans and royalists. He was held in Egypt with Numan in 1966 while their partner Al-Zubairi had been assassinated earlier.
In 1970, he arrived at a national conciliation agreement with the supporters of the royal regime and established a formal relation with Saudi Arabia. In 1972, he reached an agreement withSouth Yemen for the unification of the two parts of the country, which constituted the basic foundations for the unification of 1990. It was also during his regime that Yemen had parliamentary elections and permanent constitution for the first time.
FollowingIbrahim al-Hamdi's coup in 1974, al-Eryani went into exile inSyria. He eventually died inDamascus in 1998.[5]
| Preceded by | President of North Yemen 1967–1974 | Succeeded by |
| North Yemen (1918–1990) |
| ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Yemen (1967–1990) | |||||
| Republic of Yemen (1990–) | |||||
| North Yemen (1962–1990) | |
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| South Yemen (1969–1990) | |
| Republic of Yemen (1990–) | |
