Moslem religious leaders here have renewed their appeal to the Bey of Tunis not to grant approval to any Tunisian Government which includes Jewish Ministers, it was learned here today.
Thus far, the Bey has not given in, but has reserved his reply. It is understood, however, that he pointed out to the Moslem religious leaders that it has been a tradition of the Tunisian protectorate to confer Ministerial rank on a Jewish citizen. Since 1881 several Jews have held a Cabinet post equivalent to Finance Minister and one, Gabriel Varlensi, was the Bey’s Chief of Protocol.
It is believed in political circles here that the achievement of autonomy by Tunis, particularly the application of the Convention on the Status of Persons, will facilitate the emigration of Jews who desire to go to Israel. The convention provides that those who wish to go to France need no passport. France is the main gateway to Israel for Jews from Tunisia.
“Action,” a French language Neo-Destour newspaper, re-affirmed a pledge that Tunisian Jews need have no fear for their rights in a self-governing Tunisia. The same issue of the nationalist paper, however, stressed that Neo-Destour circles have given no consideration to the question of Zionism as it affects Tunisia.
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