The authorities in Tunisia are refusing to grant collective visas to Jewish youths desiring to emigrate to Israel under Youth Aliyah projects, it was reported here today by M. Beytan, secretary-general of the Paris office of the Jewish Agency, upon his return from Tunisia. Such collective visas have been issued until recently without any difficulty, he pointed out.
Mr. Beytan said that the Zionist movement in Tunisia is forced to work under “special conditions.” He revealed that for “security reasons” no campaign can be conducted in Tunisia in connection with elections to the forthcoming World Zionist Congress. Any other form of Zionist propaganda can similarly not be conducted openly, for the same reasons, he said.
The Jewish Agency official emphasized that similar difficulties are being encountered also by other Jewish organizations. As a result of the prevailing circumstances, Mr. Beytan, after consultations with leaders of Tunisian Jewry and representatives of Zionist groups, decided that no public democratic elections to the World Zionist Congress should be held in Tunisia, but that the various Zionist groups should present a joint list of five delegates.
Despite difficulties, Zionist activities in Tunisia are making good progress, Mr. Beytan reported. This year, the United Israel Appeal there has raised more than 10,000,000 france as compared with 5,000,000 france last year.
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