In this article from Electronic Intifada we learn of death threats to the
Swedish Foreign Minister from Zvi Zameret, a former
official of Israel’s education ministry.
In his article Zameret recounts the fate of Count Folke Bernadotte, a
Swedish diplomat who was murdered by the Stern Gang/Lehi in Jerusalem in September
1948. Bernadotte had been mediating on
behalf of the United Nations over the question of the position of Jerusalem in
a settlement.
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| Previous Im Tirtzu poster denouncing Naomi Hazan of the NIF, a Zionist group, for funding Israeli human rights groups |
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| Margot Walstrom – Swedish Foreign Minister – Subject to Netanyahu’s vitriolic outbursts and threats of death |
Zameret in his article links what happened to
Bernadotte to what might happen to Margot Walstrom, the Swedish Foreign
Minister. Walstrom had previously
condemned Israel’s use of extra-judicial execution of Palestinians only to be denounced
by Netanyahu. See In 2016 one doesn’thave to be Adolf Eichmann to be executed in Israel – it’s enough to be a teenage Palestinian girl with scissors She was met by the normal hysterical denunciation by Netanyahu. She was ‘stupid and outrageous’ for
condemning Israel’s death squads even though it is advocated by Israeli government
ministers that someone possessing a knife or even a pair of scissors,
regardless of whether they pose a threat or not, should be killed.
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| Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Walstrom |
Contrast this with a certain Yishai Schlissel, a
religious madmen who had already served 10 years for stabbing people at the
2005 Jerusalem Gay Pride march. Ten
years later, having only just been released 3 weeks before, he was allowed to
wander into the Gay Pride march by the Police unhindered. Given he was dressed as an ultra-orthodox
Haredi Jew, who are uniformly hostile to gay rights, this was in itself a
strange decision. When he started going
on a rampage with a knife Israeli police chased after him and wrestled him to
the ground. They did not shoot him in
the back because he wasn’t a Palestinian.
The result was that several people were stabbed and one, Shira Banki was
murdered.
religious madmen who had already served 10 years for stabbing people at the
2005 Jerusalem Gay Pride march. Ten
years later, having only just been released 3 weeks before, he was allowed to
wander into the Gay Pride march by the Police unhindered. Given he was dressed as an ultra-orthodox
Haredi Jew, who are uniformly hostile to gay rights, this was in itself a
strange decision. When he started going
on a rampage with a knife Israeli police chased after him and wrestled him to
the ground. They did not shoot him in
the back because he wasn’t a Palestinian.
The result was that several people were stabbed and one, Shira Banki was
murdered.
 |
| Palestinian school girl with back pack executed by Israeli army |
It is also interesting that a video has emerged of
Benjamin Netanyahu approving of and urging support for a fascist organisation
Im Tirzu. In 2013 Im Tirzu brought a
legal action against a group that called them fascist. The Jerusalem District Court, which heard the
petition, rejected the action because ‘‘certain lines of resemblance’ to fascism inthe ideology or activities of the right-wing movement can be seen as‘truthful.’
Benjamin Netanyahu approving of and urging support for a fascist organisation
Im Tirzu. In 2013 Im Tirzu brought a
legal action against a group that called them fascist. The Jerusalem District Court, which heard the
petition, rejected the action because ‘‘certain lines of resemblance’ to fascism inthe ideology or activities of the right-wing movement can be seen as‘truthful.’
 |
| Im Tirtzu’s McCarthyist Campaign Poster Against Israel’s Cultural Figures
Although the Supreme Court reversed this decision, on
nakedly political grounds viz. sympathy for its politics, Im Tirtzu has just this past week been accused of being a fascist organisation. This time even right-wing politicians denounced it. Im Tirtzu decided to launch a campaign against ‘moles in culture’ demonising even left-Zionist poets, actresses and novellists like Amos Oz and David Grossman. They were undermining the nationalist fabric by daring to criticise the Israeli Defence Forces. There is a long and good pedigree for this. The Nazis denounced ‘degenerate art’ and when they were in power they burned books and art they considered undermined the nationalist and Volkish spirit. |
Even Benny Begin, a former Likud
MK and son of the Likud Prime Minister Menachem Begin ‘accused
Im Tirtzu of fascism and called the new campaign “a new level of ugly.”
MK and son of the Likud Prime Minister Menachem Begin ‘accused
Im Tirtzu of fascism and called the new campaign “a new level of ugly.”
Even the far-right racist, Education Minister Naftali
Bennett denounced Im Tirtzu’s campaign as “embarrassing and unnecessary.” Right-wing MKs flog ‘fascist’ group for
‘outing’ lefty artists
Bennett denounced Im Tirtzu’s campaign as “embarrassing and unnecessary.” Right-wing MKs flog ‘fascist’ group for
‘outing’ lefty artists
None of this has stopped Netanyahu from praising the
group.
group.
Tony Greenstein
Ali Abunimah 29
January 2016
January 2016
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| Palestinian children executed by Israeli military death squads |
Swedish
Foreign Minister Margot Wallström. Ryan
Brown UN Women
Foreign Minister Margot Wallström. Ryan
Brown UN Women
Swedish
security officials are investigating Israeli death threats directed at their
foreign minister Margot
Wallström.
security officials are investigating Israeli death threats directed at their
foreign minister Margot
Wallström.
Last
week, Zvi Zameret, a former official of Israel’s education ministry, published
an article in Hebrew implying that Wallström deserved the same fate as
Count Folke Bernadotte, a Swedish UN diplomat murdered by a Zionist militia in
1948.
week, Zvi Zameret, a former official of Israel’s education ministry, published
an article in Hebrew implying that Wallström deserved the same fate as
Count Folke Bernadotte, a Swedish UN diplomat murdered by a Zionist militia in
1948.
“There
are security people looking at this issue and we have no more comment than
that,” Wallström’s spokesperson Kristian Brangenfeldt told
the Swedish
publication Etc.
are security people looking at this issue and we have no more comment than
that,” Wallström’s spokesperson Kristian Brangenfeldt told
the Swedish
publication Etc.
“But
I know which article you mean,” Brangenfeldt added in reference to Zameret’s
op-ed, “and it felt very strange.”
I know which article you mean,” Brangenfeldt added in reference to Zameret’s
op-ed, “and it felt very strange.”
The
Swedish foreign ministry did not respond to a request for additional comment
from The Electronic Intifada.
Swedish foreign ministry did not respond to a request for additional comment
from The Electronic Intifada.
Persona non grata
Wallström
has raised
the ire of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu for suggesting that there should be an investigation into
Israel’s frequent killings of Palestinian youths that human rights groups term extrajudicial
executions.
has raised
the ire of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu for suggesting that there should be an investigation into
Israel’s frequent killings of Palestinian youths that human rights groups term extrajudicial
executions.
Wallström
also angered
the Israelis by connecting the kind of radicalization behind the November
attacks in Paris that killed 130 people to the situation in the Middle East,
“where not least, the Palestinians see that there is not a future.”
also angered
the Israelis by connecting the kind of radicalization behind the November
attacks in Paris that killed 130 people to the situation in the Middle East,
“where not least, the Palestinians see that there is not a future.”
Sweden
was already in Israel’s bad books for announcing in 2014 that it would
recognize the “State of Palestine” (I strongly
criticized this action, but for other reasons).
was already in Israel’s bad books for announcing in 2014 that it would
recognize the “State of Palestine” (I strongly
criticized this action, but for other reasons).
Earlier
this month, Wallström cancelled a visit to Israel after officials said
they would refuse to meet her.
this month, Wallström cancelled a visit to Israel after officials said
they would refuse to meet her.
“Inspiration”
The
article by Zvi Zameret, headlined “Margot Wallström’s source of inspiration,”
was published in Makor Rishon, a paper owned by US billionaire Sheldon Adelson,
a major financier of the Republican Party and anti-Palestinian organizations.
article by Zvi Zameret, headlined “Margot Wallström’s source of inspiration,”
was published in Makor Rishon, a paper owned by US billionaire Sheldon Adelson,
a major financier of the Republican Party and anti-Palestinian organizations.
Folke
Bernadotte was a Swedish aristocrat and diplomat who helped rescue
thousands of Jews and others from Nazi death camps during the Second World
War.
Bernadotte was a Swedish aristocrat and diplomat who helped rescue
thousands of Jews and others from Nazi death camps during the Second World
War.
Later,
he became the UN mediator for Palestine. He was assassinated
in Jerusalem on 17 September 1948 by the Stern Gang, the
Zionist armed group among whose leaders was Yitzhak Shamir, a future prime
minister of Israel.
he became the UN mediator for Palestine. He was assassinated
in Jerusalem on 17 September 1948 by the Stern Gang, the
Zionist armed group among whose leaders was Yitzhak Shamir, a future prime
minister of Israel.
In
the article, translated for
Mondoweiss by Jonathan Ofir, Zameret lists Bernadotte’s supposed
transgressions in the eyes of the Zionist movement and then turns his fire on
Wallström: “The Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallström, with her
characteristic covert anti-Semitism, with her arrogance, ignorance, and her
interest-bound speculation regarding her future Muslim voters – she too seeks
to fight the foundations of the State of Israel. I am convinced and certain
that her intentions will smoulder, just as all of the undignified count’s
[Bernadotte] intentions did.”
the article, translated for
Mondoweiss by Jonathan Ofir, Zameret lists Bernadotte’s supposed
transgressions in the eyes of the Zionist movement and then turns his fire on
Wallström: “The Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallström, with her
characteristic covert anti-Semitism, with her arrogance, ignorance, and her
interest-bound speculation regarding her future Muslim voters – she too seeks
to fight the foundations of the State of Israel. I am convinced and certain
that her intentions will smoulder, just as all of the undignified count’s
[Bernadotte] intentions did.”
Zameret
has denied
that his article was an implicit endorsement of violence against Wallström, but
Swedish officials will be concerned because of high profile assassinations of
the country’s political leaders in recent decades.
has denied
that his article was an implicit endorsement of violence against Wallström, but
Swedish officials will be concerned because of high profile assassinations of
the country’s political leaders in recent decades.
In
2003, Wallström’s predecessor Anna Lindh was murdered
while out shopping in Stockholm. Her killer, Swedish citizen Mijailo Mijailović,
is serving a life sentence.
2003, Wallström’s predecessor Anna Lindh was murdered
while out shopping in Stockholm. Her killer, Swedish citizen Mijailo Mijailović,
is serving a life sentence.
In
February 1986, the country’s Prime Minister Olof Palme was shot dead while
walking home with his wife from a cinema in the Swedish capital.
February 1986, the country’s Prime Minister Olof Palme was shot dead while
walking home with his wife from a cinema in the Swedish capital.
His
murder has never
been solved, but among the many theories pursued by investigators over the
years is that it was linked to South Africa’s apartheid regime, of which Palme
was an outspoken international critic at the time.
murder has never
been solved, but among the many theories pursued by investigators over the
years is that it was linked to South Africa’s apartheid regime, of which Palme
was an outspoken international critic at the time.
Incitement
Zameret’s
article came as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had turned his anger
on Wallström.
article came as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had turned his anger
on Wallström.
It
also comes amid an atmosphere of incitement against domestic and international
critics of Israel’s violent repression against Palestinians.
also comes amid an atmosphere of incitement against domestic and international
critics of Israel’s violent repression against Palestinians.
Last
month, the Israeli right-wing group Im Tirzu released a report
calling on the Israeli government to shut down human rights organizations that
receive foreign funding and criticize Israeli policies.
month, the Israeli right-wing group Im Tirzu released a report
calling on the Israeli government to shut down human rights organizations that
receive foreign funding and criticize Israeli policies.
Im
Tirzu also released a video
that labels the heads of four major Israeli human rights groups as traitors who
aid terrorists at the behest of their foreign bankrollers.
Tirzu also released a video
that labels the heads of four major Israeli human rights groups as traitors who
aid terrorists at the behest of their foreign bankrollers.
It
should be recalled that rising incitement preceded the 1995 assassination of
Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin by the Jewish militant Yigal Amir. This
included Rabin frequently being called a traitor for signing the 1993 Oslo
accords with the Palestine Liberation Organization.
should be recalled that rising incitement preceded the 1995 assassination of
Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin by the Jewish militant Yigal Amir. This
included Rabin frequently being called a traitor for signing the 1993 Oslo
accords with the Palestine Liberation Organization.
Many
in Israel still feel Netanyahu himself played
a direct role in this incitement.
in Israel still feel Netanyahu himself played
a direct role in this incitement.
Now,
a 2012 video has come to light titled “PM Netanyahu’s message to ‘Im Tirtzu’
supporters.” It features the Israeli prime minister praising the group and
urging donations to support it.
a 2012 video has come to light titled “PM Netanyahu’s message to ‘Im Tirtzu’
supporters.” It features the Israeli prime minister praising the group and
urging donations to support it.
Chemi
Shalev, the US editor of the Tel Aviv newspaper Haaretz, tweeted the
video on Friday with this comment: “Making the rounds (and turning stomachs)
2012 Netanyahu appeal in English to support proto-fascist Im Tirzu.”
Shalev, the US editor of the Tel Aviv newspaper Haaretz, tweeted the
video on Friday with this comment: “Making the rounds (and turning stomachs)
2012 Netanyahu appeal in English to support proto-fascist Im Tirzu.”
It
is one more indicator that incitement and extremism in Israel are not marginal
phenomena but are nurtured at the very top.
is one more indicator that incitement and extremism in Israel are not marginal
phenomena but are nurtured at the very top.
Posted in Blog
