Tunisian parliament to discuss criminalising normalisation with Israel

Tunisia's parliament will soon debate criminalising normalisation with Israel.

The parliament's Committee on Rights, Freedoms and Foreign Relations will discuss the matter in a meeting on Tuesday, Deputy Nisreen al-Amari said.

The bill was referred to the committee late last month after a majority of Tunisia's political factions demanded the criminalisation of ties with Israel in response to the deadly bombardment of the besieged Gaza Strip.

Nearly 250 Palestinians, including 66 children, were killed in Israeli airstrikes and shelling last month. 

Most Arab- and Muslim-majority nations have historically refrained from establishing diplomatic and economic ties with Israel out of solidarity with the Palestinians.

Tunisia, which has a small Jewish community and hosted the Palestinian Liberation Organisation between 1982 and 1991, had limited relations with Israel during the 1990s but cut all ties during the Second Intifada.

The country denied reports last year it would be next in line to normalise ties with Israel after Bahrain, Sudan, Morocco and the UAE made the move.

"As Tunisia respects the sovereign positions of other countries, it affirms that its stance is principled, and changes in the international scene will never affect it," the Tunisian foreign ministry said in a statement.

Countries including Oman, Mauritania, and Indonesia are also rumoured to be considering establishing relations with Israel.