Tunisian Nationalists Name Two Jews As Candidates for Parliament

In line with the avowed aim of the Neo-Destour Nationalist Movement to “respect all faiths,” the names of two prominent Jews were placed today on the list of Neo-Destour candidates for the forthcoming elections to the Tunisian Assembly.

The Jewish candidates are Albert Bessis, who is on the Tunis list headed by Bahi Ladgham, secretary-general of Neo-Destour and vice-president of the Council; and Andre Barouch, publisher of the newspaper Dail, whose name has been placed on the Banlieu slate headed by Mongi Slim, Minister of the Interior.

A Tunisian National Front statement issued in connection with the announcement of the candidates notes that the election lists point toward “the realization of independence and confirms the Arab character of our nation, which is strong in the civilization of Islam but which respects all faiths.”

The Tunisian Government announced today that the deputy director of Radio Tunis has “taken measures” against those responsible for a strongly anti-Jewish Arabic poem broadcast over the radio last week. The government communique expressed regret that at a time when “close communion of interests” has been established between Jews and Moslems in Tunisia, the repercussions of the broadcast should be used “in maneuvers designed to split the community at large.”

While the government communique was made public, the “Voice of the Arabs,” a feature of Radio Cairo, has called for a new Moslem crusade against Jews in North Africa. In a broadcast beamed to North Africa, the “Voice of the Arabs” called for a boycott against Israel and “against North African Jews who are friends of Israel.”