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2d ago

Foreign Pilgrims Return to Tunisia’s El Ghriba as Key Procession Resumes

A revived ritual under heavy security signals a careful reopening.

Jewish pilgrims attend an annual pilgrimage at the Ghriba synagogue in the resort of Djerba, Tunisia, on Monday, May 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Bassem Aouini)
Jewish pilgrims take part in a procession as they attend an annual pilgrimage at the Ghriba synagogue in the resort of Djerba, Tunisia, on Monday, May 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Bassem Aouini)
Jewish pilgrims attend an annual pilgrimage at the Ghriba synagogue in the resort of Djerba, Tunisia, on Monday, May 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Bassem Aouini)
Jewish pilgrims during a ceremony as they attend an annual pilgrimage at the Ghriba synagogue in the resort of Djerba, Tunisia, on Monday, May 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Bassem Aouini)

Overview

  • The annual pilgrimage on Djerba drew international visitors under tight security, and the Minara procession ran for the first time since the 2023 shooting.
  • Participants put total attendance at about 500 this year, while organizers estimate roughly 200 of those came from overseas.
  • Pilgrims arrived from France, China, Ivory Coast and Italy, and France’s ambassador attended after two French citizens were among the victims in 2023.
  • A National Guard officer killed two pilgrims and three security officers in 2023, and in February courts jailed alleged accomplices for one to 15 years after lawyers criticized the investigation as flawed.
  • Morocco is separately weighing a petition to simplify citizenship for descendants of Moroccan Jews abroad by creating dedicated services and an online portal, a move meant to strengthen ties with its diaspora.