THE political head of tourism in Bournemouth's Israeli twin town has launched a verbal broadside against the sizeable local Jewish community.

Maxime Elgrably says he is disappointed by the response from Bournemouth's Jews after the suicide bomb attacks on Netanya in recent months.

International tourism has almost completely disappeared from the Mediter-ranean resort in the past year. The only visitors have been Jewish groups from France, Holland and Germany who have come to offer solidarity.

But Mr Elgrably told the Daily Echo that no one had come from Bournemouth.

"This is very disappointing," he said. "The meaning of a twin town, especially from a Jewish point of view, is that we feel the support.

"What's the point of having a twin town if you don't have that?"

He added: "Twinning must be more than signing a piece of paper. Something has to materialise or it has no meaning. If it has no meaning, why should it exist?"

The tourism councillor said: "There should be some courageous people. I cannot believe they are all afraid."

The Passover suicide bomb attack on the Park Hotel in March killed 29 members of the Netanya Jewish community and maimed more than 100 others.

After a lull in recent weeks, another bomber struck in Rishon Letzion on Tuesday.

Chairman of Bournemouth's twinning committee, Cllr Michael Filer, said: "I'm making a private visit to Israel next week and I'll be spending a day in Netanya to meet the mayor and find out exactly what we can do to help.

"Obviously encouraging tourism will be high on the agenda. We want to support Netanya to the hilt."