Egypt opened its border with Gaza yesterday in a move which is "seen as a response to increasing Arab anger at what is perceived as Egyptian complicity in the [Israeli] blockade" (as the Guardian puts it).

The decision followed demonstrations in Cairo on Monday and may take some of the heat out of public anger directed at the Mubarak regime.

Egypt has been in the habit of opening the border occasionally for a few days but this time, the reports say, it will remain open until further notice. 

A huge rally protesting at the Israeli assault on the aid ships was held in the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, yesterday. NewsYemen 
says hundreds of thousands attended, while the official news agency puts the number at tens of thousands. The demonstration clearly had the government's blessing and no doubt provided a welcome diversion from Yemen's own political troubles.

Three Yemeni MPs who had joined the flotilla were arrested by the Israelis and are expected to return home via Jordan.

Yemen's tiny Jewish community reportedly joined in condemningthe Israeli attack.

The Yemen Observer also reports that President Salih had a meeting with Khaled Misha'al of Hamas on Monday "to discuss the Arab possible reaction to the Israeli massacre committed against peace activists".

Posted by Brian Whitaker, 2 June 2010.