Toronto, ON – Yesterday, Norwegian Cruise Line announced that it has cancelled all calls to Tunisian ports. This announcement is the direct result of an incident on Sunday in which Israeli passengers of the Norwegian Jade were unexpectedly refused entry by Tunisian authorities, an act Norwegian Cruise Line deemed “discriminatory”.
In response, CIJA Chair David Koschitzky wrote directly to Norwegian Cruise Line CEO Kevin Sheehan to express his appreciation, and issued the following statement:
“We commend Norwegian Cruise Line for its strong statement in support of its Israeli customers, a response that serves as a model of corporate responsibility. The decision of Tunisian authorities to bar Israeli tourists is just the latest example in a long history of hatred and rejection of Israelis and Jews throughout the Arab world – a disturbing phenomenon that only hinders regional peace and progress.”