Page 362 - הציונות בתוניסיה

VII Summary

a society in transition, and effective meshing between the party and its youth
movement.
The process of modernization gradually changed the pattern of relations
between Jews and Muslims. The decrease in the importance of the religious
element in every-day life, the emerge of political parties, the rise of national
aspirations, the demand for self-determination and even independence were
all explanations for the influence of modernization on those relations. One
of the most important changes was the emergence of the Palestinian issue.
Both Zionism and the Tunisian national movement (The Dustur) were
national movements which had a unique attitude to Palestine. In some ways
Tunisian national movement activities were an imitation of the Zionist
activities, but it is also possible that they were even a part of the essence of
nationalist activity. However, there were differences between the goals of the
two national movements. The Palestinian issue gradually effected the Zionist
activities in Tunisia.
The greatest importance of Tunisian Zionism during this period was its
primary position in the struggle against all anti-Semitic manifestations in the
country, both those of the French colonists and also those of the Italians. The
Zionists initiated and encouraged the Jewish community to boycott German,
Italian and Japanese goods. The Zionists called for public demonstrations
against German antisemitic outbreaks. In this way, they both paved a way
for themselves within the Jewish society and took a stand on behalf of the
Jewish community among the various social elements. During those years
Tunisian Zionists were at the front of the political and social debate within
the Tunisian society.
The war years in Tunisia, 1939–1943, totally changed the character of
local Zionism. Until WWII, the importance of Zionism lay within Jewish
society. Zionism made possible a modern mode of expression and activity
for Jews who had not received French citizenship, yet wished to express their
aspirations without violating the Jewish character of their society.
After WWII, Zionists understood that without aliya (immigration) to
Eretz-Israel, without severing themselves from life in Tunisia, there was no
meaning to Zionism. Therefore the period between the end of WWII and the
creation of the state of Israel is characterized as “A Time of Realization of
Zionism”.
Ideologically, all the various Zionist streams believed in the fulfillment