The comments made by the Tunisian president regarding Storm Daniel have received criticism for being antisemitic, causing a significant outcry.
TUNIS, Tunisia — The comments made by Tunisian President Kais Saied regarding Storm Daniel have been criticized as antisemitic, causing a global outcry on social media platforms. This comes after the destructive floods in a Libyan city.
During a government meeting on Monday, Saied made a connection between the storm’s name, Daniel, and the Hebrew prophet of the same name. This was mentioned in a video shared on the Tunisian presidency’s social media platform.
“Has anyone questioned the reason behind selecting the name Daniel?” Saied inquired, further stating, “Due to the infiltration of Zionist ideology into our thoughts and beliefs, we have succumbed to a state of cognitive paralysis.”
Thousands of lives were lost as the storm ravaged entire residential areas in the Libyan city of Derna.
Meteorological authorities select storm names from an alphabetical list that alternates between easily memorable female and male names. Daniel is a widely used name globally.
The comments made on social media were criticized by numerous scholars and human rights advocates.
The Anti-Defamation League, an American organization that advocates for Jewish civil rights, expressed strong condemnation for Saied’s remarks, deeming them as antisemitic and reminiscent of harmful conspiracy theories about Jewish manipulation of weather. This statement was made on X, previously referred to as Twitter.
The Saied made intolerable anti-Semitic comments, as stated by the Union of French Jewish Students on Twitter.
Saied also implied that the discussions sponsored by the U.S. to establish normalization agreements between Israel and certain Arab nations were linked to “Zionists residing in foreign countries.”
“He stated that normalization is a significant act of betrayal. The Palestinian people’s rights should be upheld across the entirety of Palestinian territory.”
In 2021, Saied refuted allegations of making antisemitic comments while attempting to pacify young individuals following a period of turmoil.
Saied’s response was prompted by claims made by the Conference of European Rabbis, suggesting that he blamed Jews for the country’s instability. This statement, reported by certain Israeli media outlets, sparked controversy and compelled Saied to address the accusations. However, his office vehemently denied these allegations.
