The Tunisian parliament has initiated debating a bill that would criminalize any normalization of relations with Israel as the bombing of Gaza intensifies and the death toll surpassed more than 9,000, Arab media reported on Thursday.
According to Al Jazeera, the proposed bill, on which discussion started today, defines “normalization” as “recognition of the Zionist entity or the establishment of indirect or direct relations” with it, a crime that would be classed as “high treason”.
Tunisia Discusses Bill to Criminalize Normalization of Relations with Israel
The bill would ban any interaction between Israelis and Tunisians, including at “demonstrations, events, exhibitions, meetings, and competitions” in any context, be they “economic, political, cultural, artistic , sporting and scientific ” in territory held or occupied by Israel.
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The suggestion to outlaw relations with Israel appeared widely popular in parliament and among the lawmakers and public.
“There is a complete agreement between the president of the country, the parliament and public opinion” on the matter, parliamentary speaker Brahim Bouderbala said. He said that they strongly believed Palestine must be freed from the river to the sea … and that a Palestinian state must be set up with holy Jerusalem as its capital,” he added.
