Replies: 4 Comments

"what puzzles me is why the Swedes"

Mazaluk,

I have a theory about this.

First of all, it is not the Swedes or any other nation specifically. Antisemitism can be found everywhere. Unfortunately, it is not as shy as it used to be.

I think the false idea of Israel as an extremely violent country resulted in a psychological loosening of the belt, if you will, especially in the West and Eastern Europe.

The reasoning was that if the Jews are so violent, then they are not that different than the people who have oppressed them in the past. And if so, then there is no reason to hold back, you don't have to be that careful about Antisemitism. If you have the urge (not everybody does), go with it. That's how you have things like a Belgian TV show about Hitler's favorite foods, or a British prince wearing Nazi uniforms. If you are just a little intrigued by Nazism, go with it. If you have some deep seated antisemitic beliefs, don't keep them hidden. After all, it's OK to criticize Israel, and anyway, the Jews always go around pointing fingers.

Moreover, since Jews in the past played the role of the absolute victims in Western culture. People who find absolute victims psychologically appealing, and who were drawn to Jews in the past are now turning on them.

Jews (and Palestinians) have very good in performing a role in a western morality play. Sometimes its the role of Jesus, who dies for our sins, and sometimes it's the role of Judas, the absolute betrayer. Jews are better as an idea than as actual people.

Micha, Saturday, August 29th

Obviously this is good old fashioned anti-Semitism, but what puzzles me is why the Swedes, who have a reputation of being such a liberal nation, are choosing to behave like nazi propagandists. What bee is it that they have in their bonnet? 30 years ago this behaviour would have been unthinkable. I'm just left shaking my head, wondering why they have become a nation of Jew haters - any ideas anyone?

mazaluk, Thursday, August 27th

Well said Ami.

I think something should be said about the new democracy/freedom of speech libel that accompanied the blood libel here.

A major Swedish newspaper prints a blood libel. Not something vaguely resembling a blood libel but a blood libel pure and simple.

Israel never asked the Swedish government to take any action against the paper or silence them in any way. Nor was it ever said that the Swedish government is responsible in any way for the actions of the paper. All that was required, as a simple act of diplomatic courtesy between nations was that the Swedish government, or at least the Swedish ambassador will say something about this blatant blood libel to the effect that it does not represent the government or people of Sweden and that it is bad.

But the Swedish government decided instead to condemn the ambassador who did just that instead of condemning the reporter, and then went on to present themselves as defending Swedish free speech against he evil Jews.

Under the circumstances I think we Jews should apologize to Sweden. Clearly the fact that we did not riot in European capitals, issues death fatwas or at least death threats, nor did we send a single bomb letter or burn a single embassy or Swedish business is quite offensive. The reporter didn't even have to hire a body guard. We are clearly in violation of the principles of democracy and diplomacy and deserve no sympathy.

It is regrettable that even in this clear cut case the Israeli government handled things poorly.

Micha, Wednesday, August 26th

These blood libel accusations are, and have been consistent with Swedish government policy for over a decade. From 1995 on Sweden has deliberately and slyly looked for and found ways to secretly and openly fund the Arab (Pal-est-in-ian) propaganda and physical war against the Jewish people. If any Israeli government thinks that they can get the Swedes to change their ways with a bit of diplomatic pressure, better think again. In a letter to the Russian Count Witte, Alfred Nobel wrote that Swedes will only change their manners when either subjected to violence and loss of jurisdiction. Alfred Noble the Swedish dynamite king said of his fellow countrymen "Swedes are a self righteous people, who despise real decency when they encounter it, they will then turn their might to defame cleanness, integrity, industry, and grace, it is for this reason that this my last will and testament do hearby instruct my executors to give the right to confirr my prizes to his excellency Haakon, King of the Norwegians and his heirs, through a eight member eight nation committee of his University of Oslo's choosing."

why can't you oh so "pragmatic" Israelis learn history?!!

Larry Riteman, Wednesday, August 26th

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