Tunisia’s PM Appoints Jewish Minister of Tourism

Appointed by the Tunisian Prime Minister, the new tourism minister Roni Trabelsi, will be the second Jewish minister to have ever served in the predominantly Muslim country, after Nessim Samama, who served as the finance minister to the King of Tunis in 1860.

By Daniel Salami

 

Tunisian Prime Minister Youssef Chahed announced 13 new appointments in his Cabinet on Monday, including several ministers. The new tourism minister is Roni Trabelsi, a Jewish man who reportedly lives in France but also holds Tunisian citizenship.

Trabelsi is a prominent and successful businessman in Tunisia, dealing mostly with tourism. He owns the Royal First Travel agency.

Tunisia’s new tourism minister Roni Trabelsi, is Jewish. – Screenshot: YouTube/France24

He was previously in the running for the tourism minister position, but did not get the job.

Trabelsi, whose father Peres Trabelsi is one of the leaders of the Jewish community in Tunisia, will be the second ever Jewish minister in the predominantly Muslim country.

The first Jewish minister in Tunisia was Nessim Samama, who was appointed the finance minister for the king of Tunis in 1860.

The Jewish community in the country used to number in the hundreds of thousands, but according to the Associated Press there are only about 1,200 Jews left there now.

 

View original Ynet publication at:
https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5390607,00.html