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Last update - 05:34 20/08/2009
Swedish daily hits back at critics of IDF organ harvest story
By Assaf Uni and Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondents
Tags: Sweden, Israel News, IDF 

A Swedish newspaper provoked outrage in Israel and drew condemnation from Sweden's ambassador on Wednesday after it ran a story on transplant organ theft, a report an Israeli official branded anti-Semitic "hate porn".

The editor of Aftonbladet, Sweden's largest daily newspaper, hit back hard, at both Israel and at the Swedish envoy for attacking his paper's coverage.

Donald Boström, the Swedish journalist whose article accusing Israel Defense Forces soldiers of killing Palestinians to obtain their organs evoked outrage, denied on Tuesday that he was motivated by anti-Semitism.
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"I'm very sad to hear people accuse me of anti-Semitism," Boström told Haaretz on Tuesday.

Aftonbladet, ran Bostrom's piece under the headline, "They plunder the organs of our sons". In the wake of the report and the furious public reaction, the Israeli embassy in Stockholm on Wednesday sent a sternly-worded diplomatic protest to the Swedish government.

Boström's article, first to appear in English on Haaretz.com, makes a link to the recent exposure of an alleged crime syndicate in New Jersey. The syndicate includes several American rabbis, and one Levy Izhak Rosenbaum, who faces charges of conspiring to broker the sale of a human kidney for a transplant.

"Now that [the story] has once again risen to the surface, I wanted to point out the link [to the New Jersey affair] and the fact that there needs to be an investigation of the claims," Boström said.

Boström said he had offered the story to another Swedish newspaper, Dagens Nyheter, which turned it down "with no explanation."

The reporter said Aftonbladet, the most popular evening tabloid in Sweden, published the article without making any editorial changes.

Asa Linderborg, an editor of the newspaper's culture section which printed the story, told Haaretz that the publication "stands behind the demand for an international inquiry."

"We had many discussions on whether to publish the article or not, and to the best of my knowledge, there are no facts there that are incorrect," Linderborg said.

A spokesman for the Foreign Ministry on Wednesday blasted the article. calling it anti-Semitic "hate porn".

"This article has clear elements of medieval blood libels against Jews," Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor said of Monday's story in Aftonbladet. Accusing the tabloid of encouraging hate crimes, he said: "This is intolerable."

Aftonbladet editor Jan Helin said: "It's deeply unpleasant and sad to see such a strong propaganda machine using centuries-old anti-Semitic images in an apparent attempt to get an obviously topical issue off the table.

He accused the Swedish ambassador of "a flagrant assault on freedom of speech" for her criticisms.

Helin called it an opinion piece raising questions of Israel in the context of a suspected link to Israel in that U.S. case. He denied any suggestion of anti-Semitism from his paper.

Sweden's ambassador to Israel issued a press release on Wednesday condemning the article which appeared in Aftonbladet.

"The article in the Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet is as shocking and appalling to us Swedes, as it is to Israeli citizens," the ambassador, Elisabet Borsiin Bonnier, said on Wednesday.

"Just as in Israel, freedom of the press prevails in Sweden," Bonnier said. "However, freedom of the press and freedom of expression are freedoms which carry a certain responsibility."

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      1.   Question to Boström; so why did you write it? 12:10  |  Alicia 19/08/09
      2.   It`s either true or not, but it`s not a blood libel. How absurd. 12:13  |  Michael 19/08/09
      3.   He`s not an anti-semite 12:16  |  a voice 19/08/09
      4.   I am no anti-Semite 12:29  |  David 19/08/09
      5.   #2, well spoken and 100% agreed! 12:43  |  John 19/08/09
      6.   Michael in the UK 12:43  |  otazoy 19/08/09
      7.   Åsa Linderbor 12:43  |  SW 19/08/09
      8.   On the contrary Michael 12:48  |  Andy Campbell 19/08/09
      9.   Typical tactics of Israel 12:52  |  John Smith 19/08/09
      10.   good say no. 2 12:52  |  Avi 19/08/09
      11.   His motives are immaterial 12:52  |  dB 19/08/09
      12.   It`s an antisemitic lie! 12:53  |  Hansje 19/08/09
      13.   A Rose is a Rose is a Rose 12:54  |  Tom Lobo Meyer 19/08/09
      14.   To Michael 12:58  |  Yaron 19/08/09
      15.   Just Pathetic Probably if someone told him that Jews have a tale 12:59  |  Dani 19/08/09
      16.   New Jersey 12:59  |  Sherlock Holmes 19/08/09
      17.   TRY HIM FOR SLANDER 13:04  |  Petra 19/08/09
      18.   This Guy Is 13:05  |  JJ 19/08/09
      19.   8 Andy. You`re making all sorts of assumptions. 13:09  |  Michael 19/08/09
      20.   #14 Yaron to Michael 13:17  |  Labhras 19/08/09
      21.   Criminals hiding their crimes 13:20  |  Jake in Jerusalem 19/08/09
      22.   Look, just release the autopsy reports. 13:25  |  Johnboy 19/08/09
      23.   19 Michael 13:27  |  Bob 19/08/09
      24.   Jake 21 Are you making blood libels then? 13:37  |  Michael 19/08/09
      25.   to Labhras 13:39  |  Yaron 19/08/09
      26.   this should not have been published 14:04  |  rm 19/08/09
      27.   To 2. Your reasoning is absurd 14:07  |  richelle 19/08/09
      28.   Medieval fashion 14:08  |  Odongo Joseph 19/08/09
      29.   Yummy, gentile blood 14:10  |  Zion, Elder O. 19/08/09
      30.   Israel is GUILTY OF EVERYTHING until proven otherwise 14:11  |  Richard 19/08/09
      31.   Bostrom`s article is offensive. Period. 14:13  |  richelle 19/08/09
      32.   Another Israeli transplant story... 14:17  |  Aphemia 19/08/09
      33.   Anti-Semitism and critisim 14:18  |  Boris 19/08/09
      34.   #21 Jake in Jerusalem 14:19  |  John Smith 19/08/09
      35.   May I suggest a 12-step program 14:19  |  Miriam 19/08/09
      36.   In the grand tradition of Modern Journalism . . . 14:25  |  Zev Davis 19/08/09
      37.   Recycled Blood Libel 14:32  |  Paul 19/08/09
      38.   It is a concrete fact 14:35  |  Neils 19/08/09
      39.   Given Israel`s odd practise... 14:38  |  Ibrahim 19/08/09
      40.   anti-semitism 14:40  |  traveller 19/08/09
      41.   Yaron, Israel accuses nations too... 14:40  |  Ibrahim 19/08/09
      42.   To nr 2 Not an over reaction 14:44  |  Oren 19/08/09
      43.   Someone send israelis a dictionary to look up anti-semite 14:47  |  caroline 19/08/09
      44.   Definition of anti-semitism for Caroline 15:00  |  Oren 19/08/09
      45.   # 35 Miriam/Jerusalem 15:03  |  17 19/08/09
      46.   `I`m no anti-Semite,` says Swedish writer of IDF organ harvest st 15:11  |  flora 19/08/09
      47.   Is the organ business true? 15:25  |  US Taxpayer 19/08/09
      48.   Let`s await the results.. 15:26  |  James 19/08/09
      49.   freedom of speech 15:34  |  mlm 19/08/09
      50.   What does the Rebbe say? 15:37  |  Lese Majeste 19/08/09
      51.   Boris TLV 15:51  |  ClearCut 19/08/09
      52.   So where does Haaretz stand with this story? 15:52  |  Gilad 19/08/09
      53.   US Taxpayer - Just to help 16:06  |  17 19/08/09
      54.   fatwah 16:31  |  joaquim levi 19/08/09
      55.   to Ibrahim 17:05  |  Yaron 19/08/09
      56.   What about bigotry against Palestinians? 17:05  |  Basil 19/08/09
      57.   No Anti-Semite? Sure you are 17:06  |  Michael in Stockholm 19/08/09
      58.   Its an an anti-semitic lie. Boström and Aftonbladet are racist 17:08  |  David 19/08/09
      59.   To michael uk 17:11  |  Jason 19/08/09
      60.   to Ibrahim 17:11  |  Yaron 19/08/09
      61.   A Real Investigation into the Organ Trade 17:12  |  Robin 19/08/09
      62.   Welcome to Sweden of the 21-st century 17:23  |  Gene 19/08/09
      63.   From Abu Kabir to New Jersey lots of questions remain 18:08  |  Ben Alofs 19/08/09
      64.   Thank you Haaretz 18:08  |  Christopher 19/08/09
      65.   IT IS A Blood Libel 18:11  |  Bob M 19/08/09
      66.   OK, how about IDF kills Palestinians for their LAND? 20:32  |  Joe 19/08/09
      67.   Blood libel This man does not deserve a hearing 20:34  |  Shalom Freedman 19/08/09
      68.   The paper must be sued for libel. Libel is not "free speech". 00:16  |  jane 20/08/09
      69.   yaron 55 03:55  |  potobac 20/08/09
      70.   Gullible posters 04:00  |  MMM 20/08/09
      71.   Thank you Elisabet Borsiin Bonnier, 04:27  |  Jasper 20/08/09
      72.   JOE This whole mess is because Pals chose land instead 04:58  |  PETER SM 20/08/09
      73.   I can`t believe some people are supporting the author and paper 05:03  |  mark 20/08/09
      74.   poisoned pen 05:10  |  massimo 20/08/09
      75.   organ harvest story 05:42  |  elly 20/08/09
      76.   Exactly: sue them for libel 05:54  |  AA 20/08/09
      77.   Just your run of the mill antisemitic Swedish 06:25  |  Anna 20/08/09
      78.   #8 - Please do not bring the `Muslims` into this 06:39  |  Marc Leb 20/08/09
      79.   ALOFS Ignorance & innuends 1.Pathology specimens are NOT usable 08:23  |  PETER SM 20/08/09
      80.   SWEDISH daily should provide evidence THEN hit back 08:26  |  PETER SM 20/08/09
      81.   Reports of UFO·s, Frankenstein and BS. 10:30  |  Stephen. 20/08/09
      82.   #2 Michael and "normal people" 10:55  |  ZISD 20/08/09
      83.   A new law 11:22  |  Citizen 20/08/09
      84.   as others see us 12:56  |  seth 20/08/09
      85.   no brain no worries :-) 15:05  |  israeli citizen 20/08/09
      86.   @25, yaron to labarse 15:49  |  v 20/08/09
      87.   #69 Then Israel should RELEASE THE RECORDS, PETER. 16:17  |  Johnboy 20/08/09
      88.   Stop the blood libel nonsense. 16:40  |  jens 20/08/09
      89.   organ sales of Palestininians (so we`re told) 16:49  |  john Norman 20/08/09
      90.   What exactly is a blood libel? 17:00  |  John Smith 20/08/09
      91.   Hey Sherlock! 18:12  |  steve 20/08/09
      92.   Paranoia had nothing 18:22  |  steve 20/08/09
      93.   read the original here.... 18:51  |  mondo 20/08/09
      94.   swedish article full translation link 18:52  |  mondo 20/08/09
      95.   @9 john smith 18:58  |  ariel cohen 20/08/09
      96.   @81 Citizen 20:08  |  Jacob 20/08/09
      97.   organ harvest story 03:28  |  joseph 21/08/09
      98.   organ transplant story 03:46  |  joseph 21/08/09
      99.   Aftonbladets response 03:48  |  Stefan 21/08/09
      100.   #93 Thanks for the link, Mondo 14:38  |  Johnboy 21/08/09
      101.   anti semitism 00:30  |  Sarah T. 22/08/09
      102.   smoke is found...... 01:41  |  A.J 22/08/09
      103.   Sinister Associations 10:43  |  Stan 22/08/09
      104.   IDF organ harvest story 19:43  |  Karl 22/08/09
      105.   Swedens gov and the articles 20:54  |  Michael 22/08/09
      106.   To Michael (#2) 21:47  |  Judy 22/08/09
      107.   typical black mail 22:08  |  al 23/08/09
      108.   Bonnier is a jew 00:50  |  Fille 24/08/09
      109.   #2 fails to make a distinction 06:19  |  Omri Maor 24/08/09
      110.   IDF STEALING ORGANS 09:57  |  DONDI 24/08/09
      111.   #108 Not true, Omri 10:39  |  Johnboy 24/08/09
      112.   This is not a "scoop" 19:36  |  John 26/08/09
      113.   Knee-jerk denial 15:22  |  Fossferous White 27/08/09
      114.   But it is antisemetic! 18:40  |  Yad 28/08/09
      115.   Yes it is antisemtic 18:44  |  Yad 28/08/09
      116.   Never again 17:33  |  Bob 30/08/09
      117.   His own words in front of camera to #93 10:37  |  EW 31/08/09
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