Controversy transpired following the publication of a picture showing Yemeni Foreign Minister Khaled al-Yamani sitting next to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the Middle East conference held Feb. 13-14 in Warsaw, Poland.

Although many Arabs criticized the Yemeni diplomat for being photographed next to the Israeli premier, some expressed support — not necessarily for the love of Israel, but rather to spite Iran and its wings in the region, particularly since the Warsaw conference’s most prominent aim is to counter Iranian influence.

The United States announced in mid-January that it would host the ministerial conference in Warsaw to promote the future of peace and security in the Middle East. All Palestinian factions boycotted the meeting, while 11 out of 22 Arab countries attended. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the conference was to focus on Iran's influence and terror in the region.

The conference also tackled the developing US plan to solve the Palestinian-Israeli issue, commonly referenced in the Arabic press as "the deal of the century."