Tunisians demand accountability for dual citizen who served in Israeli army during Gaza war

Dozens of Tunisians have demanded accountability for a Tunisian-Israeli citizen who served in the Israeli occupation army during the war on the besieged Gaza Strip.

Photos and videoclips of a Tunisian Jewish singer from the city of Djerba, Che Mimoun, wearing the Israeli occupation army’s military uniform while in Gaza during the genocidal war, have gone viral on social media, sparked a wave of anger among Tunisians, who demanded his trial on charges of participating in the Israeli occupation’s aggression on the Gaza Strip.

Tunisian authorities also called for him to be put on trial on charges of “involvement” in burning homes in the Gaza Strip, pointing to footage shared by Palestinian media outlets.

Social media users said Mimoun, known for singing in a number of nightclubs in the Gammarth area of northern Tunis, joined the Israeli mechanised infantry brigade soon after the war broke out in Gaza.

Soon after his videos went viral, Mimoun restricted access to his social media accounts on X, Instagram and LinkedIn, while only some videos remained on his YouTube channel.

In video clips circulating on social media, Mimoun appears in Israeli military uniform accompanied by a number of Israeli occupation soldiers, in December 2023, singing a Hebrew song entitled “Joy Will Make You Live… The World Ahead of You”.

In the clip, Maimoun was presented as a French-Israeli soldier on the front and a singer specialising in Arabic music.

Social media users asked whether Tunisia will hold accountable Israeli-Tunisian Jews who participated in Israel’s genocide in Gaza, specially since the law prohibits citizens from enlisting in foreign armies.

READ: Is Tunisia preparing to host Palestinians from Gaza?