Tunisian lawmakers have withdrawn motions to censure two of the country’s ministers accused of trying to bring about normalization of ties with the Israeli regime.

On Friday, Tunisian parliament speaker Mustapha Ben Jaafar made the announcement regarding the motions brought last month against Tourism Minister Amel Karboul and Deputy Interior Minister for Security Ridha Sfar.

“It was not our intention to attack the ministers. We wished to say that the normalization of ties with Israel is a red line,” said Iyed Dahmani, a Tunisian lawmaker.

The matter was not put to vote in parliament after half of the 80 lawmakers who had initially signed the petition withdrew their support.

However, the decision triggered a heated debate among a number of lawmakers who support the motions and believe Karboul’s actions ran against the 2011 revolution against the Western-backed dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.

In April, more than 60 Israeli tourists entered Tunisia to attend the annual Jewish pilgrimage in the Ghriba Synagogue on Tunisia’s island of Djerba, causing lawmakers to voice anger against the issue.

After being summoned to parliament, Karboul defended her decision by saying the denial of entrance to tourists would hurt the country’s economy.