Tunisian President challenges Israel
Tunisian President Kais Saied stated that he is against normalization with Israel and that his country's stance on this issue remains firm.
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Saied delivered an address to the nation on the official Tunisian television channel.
''THERE IS NO NORMALIZATION IN MY DICTIONARY''
Evaluating the bill criminalizing normalization with Israel, which was discussed yesterday in the Assembly of the Representatives of the People of Tunisia, Saied said, "There is no normalization (with Israel) in my dictionary. Tunisia's stance against normalization is firm. Our position regarding the bill criminalizing normalization, which is being discussed in parliament, has not changed. If it were to change, it would be a betrayal of the Palestinian people."
''WE WILL PROVIDE ALL KINDS OF SUPPORT TO PALESTINE''
Emphasizing that Tunisia will continue to stand with Palestine with all its might, Saied said, "Until the occupation ends, Tunisia will provide all kinds of support to Palestine. The struggle of the Palestinians against the occupation is the struggle of the oppressed for their rights. Establishing any kind of relationship with the occupying state is a betrayal of the Palestinian people, and those who commit this crime should be subject to Article 60 of the Penal Code."
Article 60 of the Tunisian Penal Code considers any form of cooperation with the occupying state as treason and stipulates the death penalty for this crime. This article is seen as an important legal basis for Tunisia in its struggle against the occupying state.
Assembly Speaker Ibrahim Bouderbala had recommended postponing the session, taking into account the negative effects of President Saied's bill criminalizing normalization on Tunisia's external security.
EXTRAORDINARY SESSION HELD FOR THE BILL
The Tunisian Parliament had convened in an extraordinary session on October 17 to discuss the bill, which proposes that those who commit the crime of normalization be sentenced to 2 to 5 years in prison and fined between 10 thousand and 100 thousand Tunisian dinars (3,200-32,000 dollars).
In a written statement made on the social media account of the Assembly of the Representatives of the People of Tunisia, it was stated that upon the call of Assembly Speaker Ibrahim Bouderbala, a decision was made to send the bill criminalizing normalization with Israel to the Assembly's Committee on Rights and Freedoms for urgent evaluation.
In the statement, it was announced that "97 deputies signed for the urgent evaluation of the bill criminalizing normalization with Israel during the extraordinary General Assembly meeting held following the developments in Palestine.”
Following the postponement of the session scheduled for October 30 to discuss the law in the Assembly, a protest demonstration was held in front of the Parliament.