Summary:

On 17 December 2023, a small group of protestors gathered at the US Embassy in Tunis calling for the expulsion of US Ambassador Joey Hood due to ongoing US support for Israel in the war in Gaza.

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A larger gathering, estimated at 1000 participants, marked the 7th anniversary of the assassination of Mohamed Zouari in Sfax. Zouari was a Tunisian engineer who aided Hamas in the design and building of what are now referred to as Zouari drones.  

Zouari was killed in Sfax on 15 December 2016, allegedly by the Israeli foreign intelligence service, Mossad. 

Outlook: 

The protests point to both the persistent support for the Palestinian cause among Tunisians as well as continuing anti-Western sentiment. 

While large-scale demonstrations have largely ceased, frustration over the war in Israel/Palestine continues to simmer, raising concerns in Europe about the growing terrorism threat and prompting an increase in the number of counterterrorism operations reported by the Tunisian government. 

Western entities and individuals should maintain a high level of personal security awareness due to the persistent frustration toward symbols of Western countries that are now commonly affiliated with support for Israel. 

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