Tunisia lawmakers mull law to criminalize Israel normalization

Tunis, Tunisia — AFP

Tunisia’s parliament has begun debating a bill that would criminalize any normalization of ties with Israel as besieged and impoverished Gaza continues being pounded by deadly airstrikes leading to a death toll approaching 10,000.

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”.

Anyone found guilty of “the crime of normalization” would face a penalty of between six and 10 years of prison and a fine of 10,000 to 100,000 Tunisian dinars (3,000 to 30,000 euros), the text says. Any repeat offenders would be jailed for life.

“There is total agreement between the president, the parliament and public opinion” on this matter, parliamentary speaker Brahim Bouderbala told lawmakers at the start of the session.

“We strongly believe Palestine must be liberated from the river to the sea.. and that a Palestinian state must be established with Holy Jerusalem as its capital,” he said.

The legislation was drawn up and approved in late October by a group of lawmakers who back President Kais Saied.

It would also proscribe any interaction between Tunisians and Israelis, including “events, demonstrations, meetings, exhibitions and competitions” in any context, be it “political, economic, scientific, cultural, artistic or sporting” in territory held or occupied by Israel.

Over the past month, thousands of Tunisians have hit the streets in support of Palestinians in Gaza which Israel has been pounding since the October 7.

Since then, more than 9,000 Palestinians have been killed, the health ministry in Gaza says, two-thirds of them women and children.