Djerba, Tunisia – The Jewish owner of a jewelry business in Tunisia was admitted to the hospital on Thursday after an ax attack on the island, on which the oldest synagogue in Africa is located.
The 50-year-old man was admitted to a hospital in Djerba, in which many of the remaining 1,500 Jews live in Tunisia, said the mayor Rene Trabelsi The Associated Press.
The attack comes for a week before Jewish pilgrims in Djerba are expected for the vacation delay. On the other side of the island and in the 26-century-old EL-GHRIBA synagogue, Jews welcome thousands for three days of celebrations every year.
Trabelsi, who is Jewish from 2018 to 2020 and served as Tunisia Minister of Tourism, said that little is known about the attacker.
“We fully trust the Tunisian authorities because we are also Tunisian,” he said.
Trabelsi said that the shopkeeper is expected to be released from the hospital on Friday after having suffered a defensive wounds.
The Tunisian police have expanded security on the island, said Trabelsi.
Two years ago a 30-year-old Tunisian National Guardsman killed Two Jewish pilgrims and three security officers during the festival. events were withdrawn last year.
The Tunisian authorities have not commented on commented reports on the attack.