sentences:  The relations worsened further in the early 2000s when the Second Intifada began, and on 22 October 2000, the state radio of Tunisia declared that President Ben Ali had decided to break all diplomatic ties with Israel following the "violence in the Palestinian-controlled territories".On 21 Oct, Ben Ali had issued a strong condemnation of "the violation of the holy shrine of Al Quds Al Sharif, the repeated Israeli provocations, the use of weapons against innocent children and defenseless people, and the racist persecution of Arab Palestinian citizens", which "constitute flagrant violations of sanctities and human rights, and a blatant aggression against all human values and practices".On 22 October itself Israel expressed its disappointment at the Tunisian decision to sever relations and to close the Tunisian Interest Office in Tel Aviv and the Israeli Interest Office in Tunis.