After the deadly explosion that devastated a hospital in Gaza, anger and indignation spread far beyond the Middle East. Thousands of Tunisians responded to the call and gathered in front of the French embassy in Tunis to denounce France’s support for Israel and demand the dismissal of the French and American ambassadors.
The demonstration, which initially brought together hundreds of demonstrators, quickly grew in size, attracting more than 3,000 people. Among the demonstrators, we find opposition figures, representatives of civil society, lawyers, all united in their anger at what they consider to be complicity by France and the United States with Israel.
The slogans shouted by demonstrators in front of the French embassy clearly expressed their resentment towards the French and American governments. “The French and the Americans are the allies of the Zionists”, “The dismissal of the ambassador is a duty” and “No American embassy on Tunisian territory” were among the most heard chants.
Tunisia, as a historic ally of the Palestinian cause, has played a major supporting role towards the Palestinians. Since welcoming the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) in the 1980s, Tunisia has always been a fervent defender of the Palestinian cause.
The Tunisian President, Kaïs Saïed, has repeatedly condemned any form of normalization with Israel and called for a total rejection of this option. In addition, a parliamentary committee is currently examining a bill aimed at penalizing any attempt at normalization with Israel.
This demonstration in front of the French embassy in Tunis testifies to the deep feeling of solidarity towards the Palestinians and the opposition to any form of support for Israel. It also recalls the importance and influence of public opinion in supporting the Palestinians and denouncing actions that cause suffering and loss of innocent lives.
It is essential to listen to these voices rising in the streets in order to understand the aspirations of the people and to reaffirm the importance of respect for human rights and justice in international relations. Solidarity with the Palestinians is a subject that continues to mobilize and which requires particular attention from international actors. The demonstration in front of the French embassy in Tunis is eloquent proof of this.