https://en.sputniknews.africa/20231104/tunisias-president-opposes-anti-israel-normalization-law-1063300653.html
Tunisia's President Opposes Anti-Israel Normalization Law
Tunisia's President Opposes Anti-Israel Normalization Law
Sputnik Africa
Massive protests have been held in Tunisia demanding a ban on any normalization of relations with Israel due to the escalation of the conflict in Gaza. On... 04.11.2023, Sputnik Africa
2023-11-04T09:07+0100
2023-11-04T09:07+0100
2023-11-04T09:07+0100
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Tunisian President Kais Saied said on Friday he objected to a proposed law criminalizing normalization of relations with Israel, after parliament said it was committed to passing it. Saied's move came as a surprise, as he had long deemed the normalization of ties with Israel as treason. Parliament on Thursday debated a bill that would punish the "crime of normalization" with between six and 10 years in prison, with life imprisonment for repeat offenders. The debate followed mass protests in Tunisia demanding that any normalization be outlawed amid the ongoing Gaza war between Hamas and Israel. Late Thursday, the chamber approved two articles of the legislation, before parliament chief Brahim Bouderbala suspended the session until Friday. Friday's session remained suspended, despite some parliamentarians insisting that a vote be held. Bouderbala had earlier spoken of "complete harmony" between Saied, parliament and "the public's aspirations", but later said the president had warned the bill could harm Tunisia's foreign affairs and security. The draft bill defines normalization as "recognition of the Zionist entity or the establishment of direct or indirect ties" with it, a crime which would be classed as "high treason". It prohibits any "communication, contact, propaganda, conclusion of contracts or cooperation, directly or indirectly" by Tunisians with "the Zionist entity". The legislation was drawn up and approved in late October by a group of lawmakers who back President Saied.In an interview on Wednesday, Foreign Minister Nabil Ammar expressed reservations about the legislation. Tunisia hosted the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) during the Yasser Arafat era from 1982 to 1994, and is a staunch supporter of the Palestinian cause. The North African country has a Jewish community of some 1,000 people, most of whom live on the southern island of Djerba. Thousands attend an annual pilgrimage every May to the El Ghriba synagogue on the island. On October 7, the Palestinian movement 'Hamas' launched an attack on Israel. The Jewish government retaliated with daily airstrikes and a complete blockade of the Strip, cutting off necessary supplies. Since the beginning of the escalation, the death toll in Gaza has reportedly exceeded 9,000.
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kais saied, tunisia, israel, palestine, hamas, israeli-palestinian conflict, north africa
kais saied, tunisia, israel, palestine, hamas, israeli-palestinian conflict, north africa
Tunisia's President Opposes Anti-Israel Normalization Law
Agence France Presse (AFP)
Massive protests have been held in Tunisia demanding a ban on any normalization of relations with Israel due to the escalation of the conflict in Gaza. On Thursday, Parliament debated a bill that would punish the "crime of normalization".
Tunisian President Kais Saied said on Friday he objected to a proposed law criminalizing normalization of relations with Israel, after parliament said it was committed to passing it.
Saied's move came as a surprise, as he had long deemed the normalization of ties with Israel as treason.
Parliament on Thursday debated a bill that would punish the "crime of normalization" with between six and 10 years in prison, with life imprisonment for repeat offenders. The debate followed mass protests in Tunisia demanding that any normalization be outlawed amid the ongoing
Gaza war between Hamas and Israel.
Late Thursday, the chamber approved two articles of the legislation, before parliament chief Brahim Bouderbala suspended the session until Friday.
Friday's session remained suspended, despite some parliamentarians insisting that a vote be held.
Bouderbala had earlier spoken of "complete harmony" between Saied, parliament and "the public's aspirations", but later said the president had warned the bill could harm Tunisia's foreign affairs and security.
The draft bill defines normalization as "recognition of the Zionist entity or the establishment of direct or indirect ties" with it, a crime which would be classed as "high treason".
It prohibits any "communication, contact, propaganda, conclusion of contracts or cooperation, directly or indirectly" by Tunisians with "the Zionist entity".
The legislation was drawn up and approved in late October by a group of lawmakers who back President Saied.
In an interview on Wednesday, Foreign Minister Nabil Ammar expressed reservations about the legislation.
"We cannot issue a law in two days, [...] Who are we criminalizing? We have no relations with the Zionist entity, so what are we criminalizing?," Ammar said on national television.
Tunisia hosted the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) during the Yasser Arafat era from 1982 to 1994, and is a staunch supporter of the Palestinian cause.
The North African
country has a Jewish community of some 1,000 people, most of whom live on the southern island of Djerba. Thousands attend an annual pilgrimage every May to the El Ghriba synagogue on the island.
On October 7, the Palestinian movement 'Hamas' launched an attack on Israel. The Jewish government retaliated with daily airstrikes and a complete blockade of the Strip, cutting off necessary supplies. Since the beginning of the escalation, the death toll in Gaza has reportedly exceeded 9,000.
