Thousands Of Jewish Pilgrims Arrive İn Tunisia's Djerba

Some 2,000 Jews from across the world have recently arrived in Tunisia's southeastern island of Djerba to participate in an annual pilgrimage to the Ghriba Synagogue, set to begin on Wednesday.



"Djerba Island received around 2,000 Jews today to participate in Ghriba pilgrimage rituals," Perez Trabelsi, president of the Ghriba Synagogue and spokesman for Djerba's Jewish community, told The Anadolu Agency.



More pilgrims are expected to arrive Tuesday night and over the next two days, Trabelsi said.



Wednesday's event will be attended by a host of European diplomats, including U.S. Ambassador to Tunisia Jacob Wallace and U.K. Ambassador Hamish Cowell, Trabelsi added.



Tunisian government officials, including Religious Affairs Minister Othman Battikh and Tourism Minister Salma Elloumi, will also attend the planned Ghriba celebrations, he noted.



"All signs point to this Ghriba pilgrimage season being a success, especially after taking the necessary security measures," Trabelsi said.



On Sunday, Tunisian Interior Minister Najem Gharsalli visited Djerba to oversee security preparations for the planned festivities.



Responding to recent Israeli claims Jews in Tunisia were not safe, Gharsalli told the press on Sunday that Tunisia was "capable of protecting Jewish citizens and visitors."



Security forces were heavily deployed on the island, especially in the village of Hara Seghira, which is home to Ghriba's synagogue.



In 2002, at least 14 people, including seven foreign tourists, were killed in a suicide attack on the island's synagogue.



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