Anti-Zionist Party Formed in Sweden

Up until recently, Ahmed Rami and Mohamed Omar were the only Swedes who promoted an anti-Zionist political party.  The recent registration of another anti-Zionist party at the Swedish election authority hence came as a surprise to them.

Last year the Christian daily newspaper Dagen, noted that Ahmed Rami and Mohamed Omar have promoted their anti-Zionist party as one which welcomes right and left wing extremists, both radical Muslims and Nazis—all with anti-Semitism as a common denominator.  Rami and Omar’s political party has not yet registered at the Swedish electoral authority as they have not elected a board for their party. Their unofficial political party has a Facebook page where the party’s agenda is described as “working for democracy by working against Zionist dominance over culture, politics and media”.  It also rejects Israel’s right to exist. 

The “newcomer”, Mohamed Rahhal from southern Stockholm, became the first to officially register a political party with an anti-Semitic theme at the top of his agenda. The party has not yet handed in the required statutes, board protocols and registration decisions to the Swedish electoral board. These are all are required documents in order for a political party to be able to run in the elections this fall. 

In an interview with the Christian newspaper Världen idag, Rahhal states that he is still not sure if he will hand in the documents. He further explains that the party was established to fight “discrimination and Zionism”. He claims “there is always someone who runs the economy, poverty and the wars”—in other words, there is little or no daylight between Rahhal and the rabid concoctors of Jewish conspiracy theories.

According to Rahhal, Zionism is the driving theory behind the Jewish controlling entity. Zionism, he believes “has always planned to rule the world and go from one war to the next”.

What are Rahhal’s chances of gaining legitimacy? In Sweden there are few rules for forming a party. The definition of a party according to the government is:
 “A party is considered every association or group of voters which runs in an election with a special designation”.  Therefore it is not unusual that unconventional parties are created close to upcoming elections.

If Rahhal’s new party decides to send in the required paperwork to the electoral board, it will get legitimacy as a political group with an openly anti-Semitic agenda. This could further encourage the anti-Israeli, anti-Jewish unrest which has already caused some Jews to leave their homes, as Swedish authorities are unable to contain the verbal and physical agression against them.

Sahlin defends Mayor Reepalu on Swedish National TV

Yesterday, on Swedish Channel 2, Mona Sahlin, Social Democrats (S) party leader, debated Göran Hägglund, party leader of the Christian Democrats (KD) and Minister of Health and Social Affairs.

The topic of the debate was Ilmar Reepalu’s recent statements on the increasingly anti-Semitic atmosphere in Malmö and the upsurge in hate crimes against Jews in the city. Last week Göran Hägglund also sent an open letter to Sahlin in which he asked her to clarify her stand on questions such as:
● "Do politics conducted in Israel have any relevance in the assessments of attacks on Swedish Jews?”

● “Does not every person, regardless of background, have the right to not be harassed and persecuted?”.

● “Does Mona Sahlin share Ilmar Reepalu’s opinion that the criticism against him is a result of ”Israeli lobbyism?”.

● “How is Mona Sahlin planning to act in order to eliminate any uncertainties about the Social Democrats’ views on anti-Semitism and the Jews’ right to live their lives in safety?”

As stated by Göran Hägglund (KD) in the TV debate yesterday; Reepalu has had many opportunities to apologize for his statements. Still, it seems unclear if the Malmö mayor is merely so ignorant that he does not understand what he is saying, or if he, as Hägglund argues, perhaps is out to seek more support from the Muslim and leftist voters who have a strong presence in the city. Until now, Reepalu has been unable to separate the attacks on the Jews of Malmö from his views on Israeli politics--this is highly disturbing.

Sahlin on the other hand, excuses Reepalu’s statements on Swedish National TV by saying that “it is unfortunate that he did not know more about the attacks that have taken place on Jews in the city”. She further argued that “Ilmar Reepalu is not an anti-Semite” while she completely failed to remember commenting on his most recent statement concerning the “Israeli lobby” conspiracy.

Instead, she tried to divert attention from the Malmö mayor and argued that the question is not what the municipality commissioners such as Reepalu do but what the governments’ role should be and how parties can perform in these kinds of questions. Sahlin also, to further excuse Reepalu’s statements, claimed that there are several ignorant politicians, according to her, also in Hägglund’s party the Christian Democrats.

It is unacceptable that Sahlin chooses not to condemn Reepalu’s recent statements in which he links the Jews’ situation in Malmö to the policies of the State of Israel. Reepalu has been the mayor of Malmö since 1994 and it hence seems highly unlikely that he “did not know that the situation for the Jews in Malmö was so bad”. It is also equally important to remember that Sahlin participated in a Stockholm rally only last year where Hizballah and Hamas flags were flown and an Israeli flag was burned. 

As Sahlin excuses Reepalu’s recent statements,one could easily argue that she, too, tries to gain support from anti-Semitic as well as anti-democratic forces.

Malmö Jewish community once again disappointed with Ilmar Reepalu

Last week on the  Danish TV show “Lorry”, Malmö mayor Ilmar Reepalu argued that there is an “Israeli lobby” which purposely distorted his recent statement about anti-Semitism in Malmö. His latest choice of words was very inappropriate—he contended that there is an “Israeli lobby” which controls the media.  This is a canard popular with anti-Semites, but it really adds insult to injury as he recently met with representatives from the Malmö Jewish community to talk about the rising anti-Semitic atmosphere in the city.

As stated in “The Local”, an English daily online newspaper on Sweden:

“Reepalu and the Jewish Community (Judiska församlingen) have been at cross purposes of late after the mayor drew parallels in newspaper interviews between anti-Semitism and Zionism”.

Still, after their meeting with Reepalu about a little more than week ago, the representatives from the Jewish community felt satisfied with  the meeting’s outcome where, among other concerns,  they discussed the dialogue forum which Reepalu has initiated as a response to growing anti-Semitic sentiments in Malmö.  

Reepalu’s latest statement, however, has once again stirred up the confusion the Jewish community has concerning Reepalu’s agenda and has also resulted in a letter of complaint (an official English version has yet to be published).

The letter (below, translated from Swedish) was also sent to Reepalu’s party leader, Mona Sahlin of the Social Democrats,  and to the chairman of the new dialogue forum, Björn Lagerbäck (Popular People’s Party - the liberals)


Dear Ilmar Reepalu,

We were quite optimistic after last week’s sincere and constructive discussion as well as with the work we have begun which the municipality has agreed upon, for a dialogue forum under the guidance of Björn Lagerbäck.
We want to emphazise strongly that we clearly reject and condemn all sorts of threats and harassments be they against individuals, elected representatives or politicians.
On the other hand, we were very disappointed by your statement on Danish TV2 on March 1, 2010 (see link below) where you indicate that “the Israeli lobby” is behind the distortion of what you have said in the media. This choice of words is used by anti-Jewish, if not anti-Semitic forces which assert that the Jews hold the power in the media.
It was exactly this kind of statement that we described to you as a statement you should avoid in order to not be misinterpreted by those who would use this as a reason to aim threats and harassments against Swedes of Jewish origin.

Best wishes
Fred Kahn and Fredrik Sieradzki
Jewish Community in Malmö


http://www.lorry.dk/moduler/nyheder/showregvideo.asp?dato=01-03-2010&cID=1&vId=532359

For the original version of the letter click here 

In summary, rather than acting as an honest broker promoting dialogue between the Islamic and Jewish communities, Reepalu is further inflaming the restless atmosphere in Malmö with this anti-Semitic conspiracy canard.

Göteborg Better for Jews than Anti-Semitic Malmö.

Both Göteborg and Malmö, respectively Sweden’s second and third biggest cities are governed by Social Democrats. The atmosphere for the Jews living in these towns is however rather different.

The national daily Expressen two days ago mentioned that there have also been attacks on Jews in Göteborg yet they seem to feel much safer than those in Malmö. Some Jews from Malmö have even moved to Göteborg, where the anti-Semitic threats are much smaller. Why is there such a difference between two towns governed by the same party?

According to Jonas Daniel, the administrative head of the Jewish community in Göteborg, there are several explanations for this. One is that the Jewish community cultivates the connections with other religious groups in the city. In the “Soccer for peace” games for example, Christians, Jews and Muslims play soccer together.

The probably main difference however is the approach by the local politicians. The Göteborg Jewish community meets regularly with local politicians in a forum for national minorities at the municipality. Daniel described this forum as a place with a positive atmosphere where politicians listen with interest.

Expressen writes that the contrast with Malmö could not be bigger.
“There, [the national Social Democrat leader Sahlin] more or less had to order Reepalu [the Social Democrat mayor] to have a conversation with the Jewish community.” He has now initiated a dialogue forum but it has been criticized as no politicians participate in it.

It is hard to tell if Malmö can ever achieve a similar good atmosphere as exists in Göteborg as long as Reepalu is the town’s leading politician. After his recent statement in the Danish TV news program ”Lorry” that an “Israeli Lobby” defames him it is even more unlikely that the Jews of Malmö will have any confidence in him.

Swedish Jewish Umbrella Body Condemns Reepalu

As background material we publish here a letter (translated from Swedish) which was sent to Malmö Mayor Ilmar Reepalu on 28 January by the Chairperson of The Official Council of Swedish Jewish Communities Lena Posner-Körösi

For the Swedish version click here

Mayor Ilmar Reepalu
Malmö stad
205 80 MALMÖ
Stockholm 28 January 2010

It is with dismay, but unfortunately not with surprise that we have read your deeply insulting statement where you compare thousands of years of hatred against Jews, anti-Semitism, with the Jewish national ideology, Zionism.

No other people in the world are denied the dream of establishing their own state. Ever since the Jewish people after the Holocaust finally saw their dream come true by the decision of the UN (at that time LON) this dream has constantly been questioned.

To constantly mix a nation’s politics, no matter what one thinks about it, with a people’s vulnerability in our time and in our country is, not the least in these days when we remember Auschwitz and the Holocaust, an insult now randomly experienced in our country.

The Jews of Malmö are today exposed to violence and threat. With your statements you heighten the hatred and the violence from anti-democratic and in many cases anti-Semitic forces.

If you care about democracy and every people’s right to equality and think that Malmö should remain a multicultural and democratic municipality where both Jews, Muslims and the majority population live side by side with respect for each others differences – then you should clearly stand up and take a stance against the anti-Semitism which Malmö’s Jews are exposed to. You will also then be credible in other political matters.

The Official Council of Swedish Jewish Communities demands that you by your actions demonstrate that you take these threats and the violence against the Jews in Malmö with great seriousness and without reservation.

Reepalu replied to Mrs Posner on February 02 in a two page letter.
The full version in Swedish can be found here

The first paragraph reads:

 

I think that anti-Semitism is an abomination and that it is completely unacceptable that Jews in Malmö should be harassed or be held accountable for what the State of Israel has done. We must always be able to hold opinions about horrible conflicts that exist in other parts of the world but at the same time we all have a responsibility to act decently with each other.Although Reepalu states that it “is completely unacceptable that Jews in Malmö should be harassed or be held accountable for what the State of Israel has done.” he just a few days earlier argued in an interview with Skånskan “– I wish that the Jewish community took a stance against Israel’s harassments of the civil population in Gaza. Instead you choose to hold a demonstration in Stortorget, this can send out the wrong signals”

The third paragraph of Reepalu’s letter to Mrs Posner reads:

When Skånska Dagbladet interviewed me about my criticism of Israel I used the word Zionism in the wrong way. I did not refer to the original meaning which is the idea of an Israeli state but gave an account of how extreme aggressive groups of settlers in the name of Zionism and completely contrary to international law, occupy parts of the West Bank, expel the Palestinian population and destroy their water supply and their olive groves. I have always pleaded for a two state solution. I consider this the only way to peace and reconciliation in the Middle East. In the conversation with the journalist it was very clear what I meant and I am indignant about the way he chose to describe my opinions.

It is clear already from Reepalu’s early letter to Lena Posner-Körösi, that he is incapable of separating the Jews in Malmö from the State of Israel. This is one of the core elements of his anti-Semitic statements.

Reepalu’s letter then continues about how all citizens of Malmö should be able to live together in equality and peace which should be accomplished by a continuous discussion in society about peoples’ differences. The final paragraph reads:

My opinions have been wrongly twisted and distorted in the debate. I suggest that you listen to the municipal council meeting on January 28, 2010. There I answered a question from Sten Andersson (SD) on how we should respond to the growing anti-Semitism in Malmö.
After Reepalu felt that his opinions had been twisted in the debate he initially blamed the Swedish journalists. This week on Danish TV he invented a new enemy: the “Israeli Lobby” which according to him is out to get him.

The audio tape Reepalu is referring to in the last paragraph of his letter is available on: http://www.malmo.se/Kommun--politik/Sa-styrs-Malmo/Kommunfullmaktige/Webb-TV-fran-kommunfullmaktige.html  when one scrolls down in the left column, click on ”Kapitel 5, Svar på enkla frågor” and then drag the marker in the strip under the video to 42 minutes and 19 seconds.
If one listens to this audio tape (in Swedish) it becomes evident that Reepalu does not answer the question on how Malmö should respond to the growing anti-Semitism but that he only and as usual condemns hate crimes of all sorts.

The question now is not whether Reepalu will again twist the truth but only how fast that will happen.

Mayor Reepalu Keeps Inventing New Fallacies

A month ago Malmö’s Social Democratic mayor Ilmar Reepalu compared anti-Semitism in his city with Zionism. After much criticism he said that he had been misquoted. Thereafter he admitted that he had expressed himself in an inconvenient way and now he argues that people purposely are campaigning against him. It gets continuously worse…

Reepalu, the strong man of Malmö, who is fifteen years in office does not seem to be able to get anything right in this matter. A good summary on the Reepalu affair can be found here.

He now complains that he feels threatened. Today in the Swedish magazine Resumé, Reepalu says that he has received letters with pictures of magnum revolvers.

There, he also argues that Svante Weyler’s latest broadcast about him on Swedish national radio SR in “God morgon, Världen” is extremely serious and he is considering to complain to the police. Weyler however, do not regret the harsh criticism of Reepalu.

Yesterday, Denmark’s national TV channel 2 interviewed Repaalu about his much criticized statements on anti-Semitism in Malmö.

Reepalu there stated: “You encounter many people, which one can call the Israeli lobby and who aren’t interested in what I say and what I think but rather want to ascribe me lots of opinions”.

The Danish reporter then asked Jeshua Kaufman, spokesperson for the Malmö Jewish community his opinion about Reepalu’s statement that there is an Israeli lobby which tries to portray him negatively. Kaufman answered: “I hope this is not what he said or that it is a misunderstanding”.

One increasingly wonders whether Reepalu is capable of understanding what he himself is saying? He also told Resumé that “the threat against me is more serious than ever and reminds me a lot about the month before Olof Palme was killed.

One can only hope that this was not what he referred to when he claimed to Danish TV that there is an Israeli lobby out to get him. If it is that what he really meant he has already prepared the ground for taking his scandalous behaviour yet another stage further.

Anti-Israeli Rioter in Malmö Sentenced to Prison Term

There were 6000 anti-Israeli demonstrators when the Davis Cup game between Sweden and Israel was played in Malmö in March 2009, two months after the end of the Gaza war.During the riots, there was major violence against the police by part of the demonstrators and last week, one of these hooligans -- a 23-year-old man from Stockholm – was sentenced to six months in prison.

The controversial Swedish-Israeli Davis Cup-game, which made headlines worldwide, was held in an empty hall as decided to Malmö’s municipal council led by Ilmar Reepalu (Social Democrat). Malmö municipal council is controlled by a majority of Reepalu’s party and the Left Party. The council first argued that the game was to be boycotted but later ruled that the games would be played without public. On a national level these two parties together with the Green Party have decided on a common anti-Israel policy if they win the next parliamentary elections in September 2010. The majority on the Malmö municipal council claimed at the time that the decision to have the games held in an empty hall was based on security considerations. This despite the fact that the police had stated that public could be admitted.

Barbro Posner, a member of the Malmö Jewish community, said at the time that it was hard to believe that the municipal council’s majority decision was not a political one. In an interview with the national daily Svenska Dagbladet Posner also mentioned that anti-Semitic hate crimes had increased when the Davis Cup was held. She said that every time the Israeli-Palestinian conflict takes a new turn the situation for Malmö’s Jews got worse.
Posner concluded her interview by saying: “I can not feel safe in a town where the municipal council makes foreign policy out of tennis.”

Due to the recent disclosure of a large number of anti-Semitic incidents and several hateful statements by Reepalu, Malmö has become internationally known as a hotbed of the widespread anti-Semitism in Sweden.