Tunisia’s Foreign Ministry has rejected a New York Times report that said the country was planning to normalise ties with Israel, following in the footsteps of the UAE, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco.
But in a statement the government said that it is not interested in establishing diplomatic relations with Israel and its position will not be affected by any international changes.
The Tunisian Foreign Ministry reiterated the position of President Kaïs Saïed who has repeatedly stressed that the rights of the Palestinian people are inalienable, and in particular their right to self-determination and the creation of an independent state with Jerusalem Al-Quds as its capital.
“This principled position stems from the will of the Tunisian people and expresses what they feel in terms of solidarity and absolute support for the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, which have been guaranteed to them by various international references, United Nations resolutions and that of its various organs, in particular those of the Security Council and the General Assembly, as adopted by various other international and regional organisations,” the Tunisian ministry said.
“Tunisia reiterates its full conviction that a just, lasting and comprehensive peace cannot be established in the region without applying the decisions of international legitimacy concerning the rights of the Palestinian people to recover their stolen lands and to establish their independent state”, added the press release.
The Foreign Ministry reiterated Tunisia’s adherence to the principle of not participating in any initiative that violates the “legitimate rights of the brotherly Palestinian people,” while affirming that the nation is not interested in establishing diplomatic relations with the Zionist entity as long as it continues to go against the principles of international law.
The detail comes after The New York Times reported on Monday that officials familiar with the Trump administration’s efforts said Oman and Tunisia might be the next states to forge ties with Israel.
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Morocco has recently followed the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Sudan in moving toward normal relations with Israel.
Palestinians have condemned the U.S.-brokered deals, calling them a betrayal of the Palestinian cause.
