DJERBA, Tunisia — The Jewish proprietor of a jewellery retailer in Tunisia was hospitalized Thursday after an axe assault on the island the place Africa’s oldest synagogue is situated.
The 50-year-old man was admitted to a hospital in Djerba, the place lots of Tunisia’s remaining 1,500 Jews reside, neighborhood chief Rene Trabelsi instructed The Related Press.
The assault comes one week earlier than Jewish pilgrims are anticipated in Djerba for the vacation Lag B’Omer. Throughout the island and on the 26-century-old El-Ghriba synagogue, Jews welcome hundreds annually for 3 days of festivities.
Trabelsi, who’s Jewish and served as Tunisia’s tourism minister from 2018 to 2020, mentioned little was recognized concerning the attacker, including he didn’t assume it needed to do with faith or the vacation, however would await findings from Tunisian authorities about potential motives.
“We totally belief Tunisian authorities as a result of we’re Tunisian too,” he mentioned.
Trabelsi mentioned that the shop proprietor was anticipated to be launched from the hospital on Friday after sustaining defensive wounds.
Tunisian police have expanded safety on the island, Trabelsi mentioned.
Two years in the past, a 30-year-old Tunisian nationwide guardsman killed two Jewish pilgrims and three safety officers through the competition. Occasions were scaled back final 12 months.
Tunisian authorities haven’t commented on studies of the assault.
