The head of the Tunisian Jewish community, Roger Bismuth, met over the weekend with the new Prime Minister of Tunisia, Mohammed Ranushi, and asked for his help in defending the community against Muslim fanatics. Last Friday, dozens of Muslim fanatics gathered outside the community's main synagogue and threatened Jewish worshippers. Police moved in after the threats, and they have remained stationed outside the synagogue since last Friday.
Speaking to Israel Radio Tuesday, Bismuth said that Ranushi promised him that he would defend the Jewish community. Tunisia has a Jewish population of about 1,600, all of them living either on the island of Djerba or the capital city of Tunis.