Tunisia ‘safer than Israel’: Jewish community leader

By Haitham al-Mahdi

DJERBA, Tunisia

A Jewish community leader on Tunisia’s island of Djerba on Wednesday declared that the North African country was “safer than Israel”.

Perez al-Trabelsi made the assertion after Israel warned Jews worldwide against visiting Tunisia for an upcoming annual pilgrimage to Djerba’s El-Ghriba Synagogue.

“The Israeli officials who are warning against visiting the country do not have Tunisia’s best interest at heart,” al-Trabelsi told Anadolu Agency.

Tunisia, he went on to assert, “is safe compared to Israel".

He went on to voice expectations that the number of Jewish visitors to this year’s pilgrimage would be 150 percent higher than last year’s.

“Jews are expected to come in large numbers from all over the world, from France, Canada -- even from Israel -- to participate in this year’s festivities at the synagogue," he said.

Earlier Wednesday, Israel's anti-terrorism bureau upgraded its travel advisory against visiting Tunisia, claiming that terrorists “have continued to stage attacks against a variety of targets” in the North African country.

The bureau also called on Israelis now in Tunisia to leave the country immediately.

The Tunisian authorities, meanwhile, have taken steps to secure Djerba Island, especially in areas around El-Ghriba, which is considered Africa’s oldest synagogue.

This year’s pilgrimage season for the historic synagogue will run from May 9 to 15.