Tännsjö starts his article off by wrongfully arguing that over and over again, Muslims around the world are forced to take a stance against the actions of radical Islamic groups. It is certain that Muslims around the world never have been forced to take any stance against any actions made by independent Muslim groups. Muslims around the world have neither been asked to take a stance against individual states- when have Muslims been asked to take a stance against Saudi Arabia, Iran or Lebanon?
He then claims that the time now has come for the Jews around the world to do the same – this becomes even more problematic as he fails to acknowledge the difference between a small faction belonging to a radical terror organization and a democratic state with international recognition and the right to self-defense.
According to Tännsjö, Jews should distance themselves from the actions of Israel as “the attack was conducted in defiance of international law and hence illegal in a very obvious way; it happened about 40 miles (64 km) out to sea, in international waters."
Here Tännsjö’s argument is, once again, flawed. The Israeli navy has a legal basis for boarding the boats, as it is still in a conflict situation with Hamas. This terrorist regime continues to fire rockets from Gaza at Israeli civilian targets.
According to international law expert Dr. Robbie Sabel, in a time of conflict a country;
-”can impose an embargo, and while it cannot carry out embargo activities in the territorial waters of a third party, it can carry out embargo activities in international waters. Within this framework it is legal to detain a civilian vessel trying to break an embargo and if in the course of detaining the vessel, force is used against the forces carrying out the detention, then that force has every right to act in self defense.”
Yet these false and seriously flawed arguments Tännsjö spouts are not the most disturbing aspect of his article. It is utterly outrageous that he argues that Jews—individuals as well as organizations—should take a stance against Israel’s actions “in order to obviate anti-Semitism”. This comes down to leveling threats against Jews who will not take a stance against Israel.
Tännsjö further writes:
“It is crucial that those who conceive of themselves as belonging to some kind of Jewish community condemn the illegal attack by the Israeli government on the Ships to Gaza, and that they denounce in the strongest terms the violent murders of many peace activists on the ships.”
According to Tännsjö Jews should hence disassociate themselves from Israel because this state chooses to protect its citizens from possible terror attacks. Israel must reserve the right to board and inspect vessels to prevent massive imports of weapons, ammunition, explosives, and materials which will be used for military facilities.
Yes, according to Tännsjö, Jews should basically disown Israel even though the state—according to international law—hasn’t acted illegally. Nor did it meet the premeditated violence from the outraged and armed activists/lynch mob with more force than necessary to protect the lives of the Israeli boarding force. Of course Jews should badmouth Israel—after all Israel still will let the humanitarian aid into Gaza, continuing its aid policy. After all, as Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan points out, Muslims cannot be anti-Semites. That’s why the activists/lynch mob on the Mavi Marmara who chanted slogans such as “kill the Jews” and declared that they were sailing towards martyrdom are the approved actors in this maritime drama. What Tännsjö won’t admit is that the aid and all the European “peace activists” who tagged along as part of this adventure were just fig leaf for Hamas’ gun running ambitions.
No, I am sorry “Professor Tännsjö” but Jews around the world should not take a stance against a state that for more than 60 years has been trying to re-build a safe haven for Jews in their historic homeland. The state of Israel has and continues to protect its citizens against the genocidal Hamas regime--whose main goal is to wipe Israel off the map and actively targets Israeli civilians with rockets and mortar fire.
Tännsjö’s total lack of objective facts demonstrates that he is not only ignorant, but also highly unfit to teach students at Sweden’s largest university.
I wonder if this guy rejects his children every time they screw up?
ReplyDeleteThere is something terribly wrong with Sweden. Sweden was never quite the human rights flagship it pretends to be. Sterilization of unwanted citizens in the thirties, helping Germany in the WW2, complete asylum of genocidal war criminals from Baltic countries and Sweden herself etc. Swedes do not seem to care, so why should someone else remind them of that. But Swedes spreading morality to others? Take a deep breath and start with yourself.
ReplyDeleteNow these Swedish "intellectuals" have started reform the human rights. Instead of condemning anti-Semitism under any circumstances as totally unacceptable for western civilization, Tännsjö makes it conditional saying: If you behave yourselves and say what we want, we may spare you. This is just a moderate version of Hitler's Munich laws. As I don't hear a cross the board outrage of the Swedish academy, it appears that Sweden is on a slippery slope towards outright nationally accepted racism.
The Swedish intellectuals, like the writer and the Uppsala theology professor, that participated in a heavily jihadist infiltrated so called human rights mission, certainly have contributed their part in the rampant anti-Semitism in Sweden. Have they ever planned to go to Malmö to protect the Jewish community, which has been forced to live practically underground? And again, Sweden, as a country, does absolutely nothing to give those Jews a possibility to live as equal citizens. They even have to pay by themselves for the substantial security measures.
The scary part of it all is that Sweden seems to think that it's business as usual. Please, Swedes, stop talking about human rights. You don't have clue what that means.