New Jewish Member Named to Tunisian Cabinet: Jews Face Problems

Andre Barouch, Tunisian Jew, editor and nationalist leader, was today named to the new Tunisian Cabinet under Habib Bourguiba thus replacing Albert Bessis as the Jewish member of the Cabinet. He will hold the portfolio of Urban Development.

M. Barouch, editor of the Neo-Destour Party French-language “Le Petit Matin,” was once banished from Tunis for his nationalist activities. At 48, M. Barouch is a well known figure in both the Jewish community and the nationalist movement. He was elected to the National Assembly from a Tunis district last month.

Tunisian Jews are still unsure of their status under the new Tunisian state despite the language of the new constitution which guarantees them liberty of conscience and the fact that the government is headed by Habib Bourguiba moderate nationalist leader who has repeatedly affirmed his friendly attitude toward the Jews.

Although the constitution recognizes that the official religion of Tunis is Islam, it does guarantee freedom of worship to citizens of other faiths. However, there has been considerable pressure from the professors of the Arab University at Zitouna, seat of Islamic learning and religion, for the state to restrict religion in Tunisia to the Islamic religion alone.

Premier Bourguiba and his associates in the government defend the more liberal Neo-Destour line, although they have made no precise statement of this view M. Bourguiba is standing by his original proclamation of earlier this year in which he guaranteed full rights of citizenship to Tunisian Jews.

Another source of concern to Jews is the criticism of Jewish emigration and talk of a ban on further departures for Israel. A number of Neo-Destour newspapers have published articles on Jewish emigration and even M. Bourguiba’s official paper, “L’Action,” has criticized Jews who leave. At the same time, however, it praised the “patriotism” of the greater part of the Tunisian Jewish population.