Tunisia ministers grilled in parliament over Israeli tourists' visit row

The controversy over Israeli tourists visiting Tunisia continued to rage on Friday as the parliament quizzed two ministers accused of receiving an Israeli delegation.

Tourism Minister Amel Karboul and deputy Interior Minister for Security Ridha Sfar faced down questions about their involvement in issuing Israeli tourists visas to the North African country.

The pair are accused of promoting the “normalisation” of relations with Israel, which is not formerly recognised by Tunisia.

While the session is understood to have been very tense, law makers failed to get the two-thirds majority needed to dismiss the ministers, AFP reported.

It is an open secret that Israelis have been visiting under the radar Tunisia for years.

The debate, which is focused on Israelis only, comes exactly a week ahead of an annual pilgrimage that draws Jews from around the world to Tunisia's ancient Ghriba synagogue.

For reasons of "national security," the government had asked for the hearing to be held behind closed doors. The majority of parliamentary group leaders said they supported that, but failed to muster the necessary votes.

The tourism minister denied receiving an Israeli delegation while defending her comments supporting the entry of tourists regardless of nationality, to boost a key sector of the Tunisian economy that was battered by the turbulence that followed the 2011 revolution.

The deputy interior minister also defended himself against charges of promoting normalisation, saying he merely followed procedures that have been in force for years.

"The case is purely administrative... We do not deal with Israeli papers," Sfar said, explaining the tourists coming from the Israel had been issued with Tunisian passes, because Tunis does not recognise Israeli passports.

Sfar justified his authorising the Israelis' entry by the need to respond to an "international campaign" accusing Tunisia of discrimination.

Prime Minister Mehdi Jomaa has tried to brush the matter aside, saying it is important the new tourism season is successful.

"Normalisation yes? Normalisation no? Let's put these great affairs aside," he told parliament last month.

Like most other countries in the Arab world, Tunisia does not recognise Israel, primarily out of solidarity with the Palestinian cause.

Resentment also remains over a 1985 Israeli air strike that targeted the PLO headquarters near Tunis and killed 68 people.