Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi affirmed that Saudi Arabia’s initiative to establish the Islamic military alliance to combat extremism “silences the skeptics, who accuse us of remaining silent and inactive, and confirms that we will fulfill our role and share in resisting extremism, whatever its form.” He considered the alliance a “successful political initiative.” In response to those who “accuse us of remaining silent and inactive, and of encouraging ‘ISIS’ operations,” he stated that “the alliance demonstrates our commitment to playing our role and sharing in resisting extremism, whatever its form, not just in ‘ISIS,’ but in all forms of extremism, because it is one and the same.”
In a press conference held on Wednesday in Riyadh, where he was visiting at the invitation of the Saudi leadership, Essebsi explained that Tunisia cannot remain absent, noting, “We are now at the forefront, resisting extremism and everything that has happened to us this year, whether in the Bardo Museum, where many were killed, as they targeted us in our cultural, civilizational, and tourism sectors, which are Tunisia’s primary source of income, or in Sousse, and even in our own presidential guard.” He emphasized that this is a message “that we must truly understand and mobilize for. We stand in solidarity with Saudi Arabia and others, and this solidarity will soon be evident on the ground, and people both at home and abroad will understand that we are moving forward to resist all these causes.”
The Tunisian president considered the Arab Spring an “European invention,” not an Arab one, and said, “This means that Arab countries must catch up with the more advanced countries, and we must acknowledge that there are countries that are more advanced than us, despite our great achievements, as we were once at the forefront of civilization, progress, and innovation. However, we must acknowledge that we have fallen behind somewhat. The important thing is that we are now on the rise, in an upward trajectory, and we must move forward with steady steps, even if they seem slow to some.”
He pointed out that he found the Saudi leadership “aware of the requirements of development and moving steadily towards it, in solidarity with the rest of the Arab countries, and especially Tunisia, because it has always been at the forefront,” as he put it.
In response to a question about the return of former Tunisian President Moncef Marzouki to the political arena, and whether this might be a mistake that would cost Tunisia dearly, Essebsi said, “Regarding the return of Zayd or Amr (referring to Marzouki’s return), we in Tunisia are against exclusion. Every person is judged by their actions. We resisted exclusion, and that is why I am today the President of the Tunisian Republic, and the president of all Tunisians. I cannot engage in exclusion when I was previously the target of it.”
He added, “However, this does not mean that someone who comes in new will control the political scene. Everyone has their own weight, and I personally did not participate in the revolution, because I was absent from the political scene for 21 years, but I returned after the revolution, and if I had a role in the revolution, it was to prevent it from going astray. We have seen many revolutions, more important than ours, end in killing and hanging. The Tunisian revolution was for social reasons, due to the high unemployment among our educated youth, and there are areas where poverty and marginalization exist, and which are not part of the civilization. If this continues, it is what gives strength to ‘ISIS’ and fuels young people towards this direction.”
During his response to a question about an investment and tourism agreement between Tunisia and Iran, and whether it posed a “threat” to Tunisia, Essebsi affirmed that such an agreement did not exist, stating, “It doesn’t exist.” He added, “Tourism in Tunisia has been devastated by extremism, despite being our primary source of income. However, Iran has returned to the scene, influenced by major powers, and this cannot be ignored.”
He pointed out that the danger does not lie in Iran or any other country, “the danger lies within us. We need to have positive attitudes and stand in solidarity with each other, and if we achieve that, neither the threat of Iran nor any other country will affect us. We must also acknowledge that Saudi Arabia plays a crucial role in the Arab world today, and I am optimistic about the future. We have been away from these rapidly changing situations in the regional and international arenas for some time. After this visit and the discussions with the leaders, I believe that Saudi Arabia is clear about its role and the role of the Arabs, and the necessity of solidarity, harmony, and cooperation that will enable us to withstand all challenges.”
The Tunisian President, Beji Caid Essebsi, recalled the memory of Tunisia’s attempt to join the Arab League during its establishment, when it consisted of only seven countries, and the apology offered by the Secretary-General of the League at the time, Azzam Pasha, to the Tunisian leader Habib Bourguiba, citing the League’s focus on the Palestinian issue.
Essebsi elaborated on this historical event – as he described it – in his response to a journalist’s question about the role of the Arab League during the past decades, saying, “When the Arab League was formed at that time, Habib Bourguiba (may God have mercy on him) wanted the League to play a role in helping Tunisia overcome the situation it was in under colonialism. He traveled across the desert on foot to Egypt and met with the Secretary-General of the League at the time, Azzam Pasha (may God have mercy on him). He said to him, ‘We have come to register the Tunisian issue on the League’s agenda, and to let the world know that we are an Arab country, and we are not alone.’ Azzam Pasha replied, ‘We are now preoccupied with the Palestinian issue, and the preoccupied cannot focus on other matters. Therefore, I promise you that as soon as we finish with the Palestinian issue, we will immediately address the Tunisian issue.’ Bourguiba then waited for four years, hoping to have Tunisia’s issue addressed. Essebsi continued, saying, ‘After that, Bourguiba met with the Secretary-General of the Arab League and said to him, ‘Your Excellency, please do not have the Arab League concern itself with the Tunisian issue. We will return to Tunisia and solve our problems ourselves.”
Essebsi added that the Tunisians proceeded to liberate their land from colonialism according to the agreement reached between the two leaders, King Abdulaziz and Habib Bourguiba (may God have mercy on them), explaining, “What matters in politics is the result, and the result was that colonialism was removed from Tunisia at the lowest cost, while other countries paid a high price.”