According to UN observers, as Tunisia sinks deeper into a multidimensional crisis — economic, social, and political — President Kaïs Saïed has chosen to divert public attention by sponsoring an initiative laden with symbolism and emotion, but with little strategic value: the “Maghreb Resistance Flotilla,” allegedly aimed at breaking the blockade of Gaza and opposing the State of Israel.
By turning this maneuver into a symbol of his foreign policy, Kaïs Saïed seeks to bolster his image among certain pan-Arab and Islamist-nationalist movements, supported by Algeria and Iran, while deflecting attention from the lack of concrete results in his domestic governance.
This is a publicity stunt disguised as resistance. Speaking of the Mediterranean as a “sea of resistance” neither feeds starving Palestinians nor offers real hope to disillusioned Tunisians.
Since his power grab in July 2021, Kaïs Saïed has monopolized all branches of authority. After three years of diplomatic isolation, institutional conflict, and economic stagnation, he needed a new tool to rally the masses. The Palestinian cause offers a perfect vehicle for identity-driven populism.
At a press conference in Tunis, Salah Al-Masri, a member of the flotilla, stated that the initiative is part of a “Global Resistance Flotilla,” involving partners from the Maghreb, activists from the “Freedom Flotilla,” the Malaysian Flotilla, and participants from several East Asian countries.
When a flotilla spokesperson praises “those who bear arms” and vows to “send a message to Zionism and American imperialism,” the effort clearly veers away from humanitarian aims. It signals a drift toward violent ideology and challenges the principles of international law and anti-terrorism norms.
Presented as an act of solidarity and humanitarian support, this flotilla is just the latest in a long line of similar initiatives that have yielded nothing, except needless confrontations and preventable human losses.
Supporting Palestine should not become a propaganda tool for regimes that have lost legitimacy. The Palestinian people deserve better than a folkloric operation in the Mediterranean. They need real diplomacy, coherent logistical aid, and strong backing in international forums. None of this is offered by the flotilla, a political spectacle staged from Tunis.