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One in every seven working Yemeni is employed in producing and distributing qat, making it the largest single source of rural income and the second largest source of employment in the country after the agriculture and herding sector, exceeding even the public sector, according to the World Bank. Many of Yemen's poorest families admit to spending over half their earnings on the leaf. "Qat is the biggest market in Yemen, bigger than oil, bigger than anything," said Abdulrahman Al-Iryani, Yemen's former water minister and founder of 'qat uprooting', a charity which supports farmers in replacing qat shrubs with coffee plants.

qat is entwined in all of Yemen's problems

the cultivation of qat - the least taxed, most subsidized and fastest-growing cash crop in Yemen - consumes 40 percent of irrigated farming land

After the Yemeni Parliament began the year by passing new legislation allowing Saleh to run for the presidency ad infinitum, Saleh announced his three famous “No’s” a month later: no presidency forever, no running for elections again and no inherited presidency, meaning that his son, who was being groomed for succession, and who is the leader of the Republican Guard, will not succeed his father.   Saleh’s concessions failed to appease those itching for immediate change, however, and February 3 witnessed the first massive demonstrations. Taking place in more than 17 governates, the protests organized by the JMP called for political and economic reforms and a fair distribution of wealth. Up until this point, demands for Saleh to step down had not been made. The JMP called an end to the demonstrations but groups of young people remained in Sanaa’s squares demanding Saleh’s departure. These unknown youth were the catalyst of Yemen’s continuous uprisings for the next nine months. 

March 18, when the security forces’ snipers opened fire on protesters, killing more than 50 and injuring hundreds

due to an international cardiopulmonary resuscitation, especially at the hand of Saudi Arabia, eight months passed without a transition of power

Diasporas which seem to be an important factor for continuing change should therefore put more pressure on their respective governments to prevent them from supporting dictatorial regimes

he Palestinian diaspora, represented by Dr. Manuel Hassassian, Palestinian Representative to the United Kingdom, on the other hand sees the Arab Spring as an historic moment which has brought all Palestinians together. They all hope for an end to the occupation by Israel but Hassassian doubts that Israel is ready to negotiate on this matter. He recognizes the fear existing on both sides which prevents the two parties from communicating. He adds that a two state solution will not be an option as it is impossible to divide the territory. On the other hand, the one state solution can only be successful if the two parties agree to work together as equal partners

Apart from that, he wonders whether the monarchies in Yemen and Saudi-Arabia will undergo some kind of eruption which would be interesting to witness