Relocating Hamas splits opinion in Tunisia
Israeli media have raised the possibility of Tunisia relocating Palestinians – including Hamas fighters – from Gaza according to The New Arab on the 17th of February.
The idea has been circulated by Israeli media since the beginning of February however there has been no confirmation of the proposal.
Despite this, the idea has already caused confrontation amongst the public and amongst politicians in Tunisia.
Politicians opposed to the idea have warned that such a move could see Tunisia become a military target for Israel and their allies.
They fear that it could see the conflict transferred from the Middle East towards the North African region.
However, pro-Palestinian activists in the country have claimed it is their moral duty to welcome refugees and potentially Hamas fighters.
For opponents to the idea, this evokes memories of Operation Wooden Leg, an attack on the PLO by the Israeli Airforce that saw Tunis bombed in 1985.
The airstrike resulted in the deaths of more than 60 people.
In order to resolve the issue, Olfa Hamadi – the leader of the opposition party the Third Republic – has demanded a public referendum.
Hamadi is a fierce critic of the Tunisian President Kais Saied who has been criticised for his anti-democratic methods.
Last year he secured a second term in office after winning more than 90% of the vote in an election that saw a voter turnout of just 29%.
For opposition leaders, the fear is that Saied would rather put the Tunisian people at risk than adhere to their wishes regarding the resettlement of Hamas fighters.
Tunisia’s economic status has been precarious for many years and the fear for politicians like Hamadi is that housing Hamas fighters could further hamper the economy.
However, pro-Palestinian rights groups claim that this is not an economic but rather a moral issue.
Such groups claim it is the duty of Tunisia to relocate Palestinians, be they ‘prisoners, fighters or wounded civilians’.
As regional and western powers look to displace the Palestinian people, Tunisia’s weak economic position could see the country be a viable option even if relocating Hamas fighters sees Tunisia become an area of conflict.
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