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Netanyahu to press Sweden to condemn IDF organ harvesting article
By Barak Ravid and Assaf Uni
Tags: sweden, organ harvesting 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to press Sweden for an official condemnation of an article in the Swedish daily Aftonbladet that alleged Israeli soldiers "harvested" the organs of Palestinians. However, in Jerusalem there was some satisfaction expressed over an entry in the personal blog of Sweden's foreign minister, which led some here to believe the official stance in Stockholm has softened.

In his personal blog, Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt suggests that articles like the one in the evening tabloid Aftonbladet may lead to hate crimes motivated by anti-Semitism.

During the weekend Israel stepped up pressure on Sweden by relaying sharply worded messages via various channels, insisting the government there issue an official condemnation of the article.
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The pressure involved efforts by the Foreign Ministry, the Prime Minister's Bureau and National Security Adviser Uzi Arad, who called Bildt over the weekend.

A political source in Jerusalem told Haaretz that even though Arad and Bildt have known each other for some time, and both have participated in the Atlantic Forum discussions, the conversation was unpleasant.

Arad described the article in the Swedish newspaper as "abominable" and protested the fact that the Swedish government did not support the condemnation issued by its ambassador to Israel last week.

"The article is a blood libel of the worst sort," Arad told Bildt. "The absence of your response reflects a lack of sensitivity toward every Israeli, irrespective of political views. I expect you to forcefully condemn these claims."

Friday, Israel's ambassador to Sweden, Benny Dagan, in a meeting with Sweden's state secretary for foreign affairs, Frank Belfrage, demanded that Sweden "lift this cloud over ties prior to the visit of Foreign Minister Carl Bildt to Israel."

Bildt is scheduled to visit Israel on September 10.

The meeting between Dagan and Belfrage was tense, with Dagan being highly critical of the Swedish government and especially Bildt, reiterating Israel's demand for an official condemnation of the article's claims.

The Swedish state secretary argued that there are constitutional limitations to what the government can do, and that it was impossible to limit what is published in the media.

"In the past you responded to similar reports," Dagan said. "Your response to date has been indecisive and your stance on the matter remains unclear to us," the Israeli diplomat insisted.

Belfrage tried to explain that Bildt had responded on the matter in his blog. The Swedish foreign minister wrote in his blog on Friday morning that "freedom of speech is a basic value in Sweden" and "part of the constitution." Bildt noted that he was cognizant of the anger in Israel but believed the basic values of a society are best preserved through debate.

In response Dagan said: "What does it mean he wrote in his blog? Who does that represent? Is he writing there as a private citizen? As the foreign minister of Sweden? Or as the current holder of the European Union presidency? Israel expects a clear government stance and not views on a blog."

As a result of the pressure Bildt put up the new blog entry, in which he voices views condemning anti-Semitism and calls for closer ties with Israel.

In an unprecedented move the Swedish Foreign Ministry's Web site included a link yesterday to Bildt's blog entry, suggesting that his position was being adopted as the semi-official stance of the government. In his new entry, Bildt expresses his personal reservations about the article but did not condemn it and says freedom of the press is defended by the Swedish constitution. However, he also hints that reports can stir anti-Semitism and that this "angers" him.

The Swedish foreign minister notes that hate crimes are against the law in Sweden, and this includes incitement to anti-Semitism. But he also points out that the courts, and not the politicians, are responsible for condemning and dealing with the responsible parties.

The Foreign Ministry and the Prime Minister's Bureau welcomed yesterday the "change" in the foreign minister's blog.

"Better late than never," a senior Israel official said. "The Swedes are beginning to move in the right direction, but from our point of view this is not the end of the crisis, and Israel is still demanding a clear statement on the part of the government in Stockholm."

Related articles:
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  • Israel denounces Sweden's silence on IDF organ harvest article
  • Hamas Swedish daily hits back at critics of IDF organ harvest story
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      1.   who`s side are you on? 03:27  |  Jochai Rubinstein 23/08/09
      2.   Sweden has frredom of speech and can condemn the contents of the 03:50  |  judith 23/08/09
      3.   Swedes murder Jews and steal their organs... 03:57  |  Sori 23/08/09
      4.   What`s going on here 03:58  |  David LG 23/08/09
      5.   Mohammed Cartoons? 04:11  |  Hanuman 23/08/09
      6.   I`m still waiting for Amira Hass to post her next article. 04:46  |  flyingoc57 23/08/09
      7.   Bodysnatchers 04:52  |  Sweeney Todd 23/08/09
      8.   No diplomatic relations with Sweden with removal of all 04:55  |  17 23/08/09
      9.   To no 2 05:25  |  Stefan 23/08/09
      10.   Write Sweden to complain 05:28  |  From France 23/08/09
      11.   Tiresome 05:36  |  Pelle 23/08/09
      12.   To no 4 05:39  |  Stefan 23/08/09
      13.   To Stefan. You`re just not getting it, are you? 05:43  |  flyingdoc57 23/08/09
      14.   "plundered" 06:07  |  Fortuna Benmayor 23/08/09
      15.   Writing complaints 06:10  |  Pelle 23/08/09
      16.   "Civilized" Sweden has demonstrated to the whole world its real 06:23  |  Barrie 23/08/09
      17.   I never thought the Swedes are that anti-Semitic but now it is so 06:51  |  Dan 23/08/09
      18.   RE: Stefan 07:46  |  judith 23/08/09
      19.   #4 David LG 07:58  |  Johnboy 23/08/09
      20.   Netanyahu 08:00  |  democrat 23/08/09
      21.   Isn`t the truth bad enough? 08:25  |  AB 23/08/09
      22.   Maybe the crucial point should be 08:36  |  Jarda 23/08/09
      23.   How disgusting must a newspaper article get to just disown it? 08:39  |  S 23/08/09
      24.   sole prerogative 09:10  |  sameer 23/08/09
      25.   #15, S 09:15  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 23/08/09
      26.   Our failure on the Medias front. 09:16  |  B. Gold 23/08/09
      27.   #13 That`s not the truth, AB 09:41  |  Johnboy 23/08/09
      28.   Sweden & organs 09:47  |  Yermi Kates 23/08/09
      29.   #6 Yeah, that`ll bring `em to their knees, 17 09:51  |  Johnboy 23/08/09
      30.   The Irony smacks me in the face 09:52  |  John MAckie 23/08/09
      31.   Israel Always Accuses Everyone of Anti-Semitism 09:57  |  Boyd 23/08/09
      32.   Israelis are Anti-Semitic 10:00  |  Boyd 23/08/09
      33.   #15 That`s an interesting question, S 10:00  |  Johnboy 23/08/09
      34.   Push really hard 10:07  |  Colin Wright 23/08/09
      35.   Organs 10:12  |  john skovbo 23/08/09
      36.   Why like this? 10:34  |  Paul 23/08/09
      37.   #5 Hanuman 10:49  |  Franco 23/08/09
      38.   Franco in Roma (#37) 11:53  |  Hanuman 23/08/09
      39.   Hanuman: Muslim Riots in Malmö 14:56  |  William Brown 23/08/09
      40.   To flyingdoc 07:58  |  Stefan 24/08/09
      41.   To Flyingdoc again. 08:19  |  Stefan 24/08/09
      42.   Response to Judith 08:34  |  Stefan 24/08/09
      43.   Is it the same in Israel? 12:22  |  Sal 24/08/09
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