Stockholm's Jewish Community Responds to Swedish Foreign Minister’s Comments on Israel

Jerusalem, 17 January, 2016 (TPS) -- The chairman of the Jewish community in Stockholm expressed concern for statements made by the Swedish Foreign Minister earlier this week.

In an interview with Tazpit Press Service (TPS), Aron Verstandig said that while he believed that legitimate and proportionate criticism of Israel could be voiced, Wallstrom’s comments have caused a great deal of concern among Sweden’s Jewish community.

“The way she has expressed herself time and again since she became foreign minister more than a year ago shows that she has some sort of antipathy toward Israel and as the chairman of the Jewish community it makes me very sad,” Verstandig commented.

On Tuesday, Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom stated that an investigation should be launched into possible Israeli extrajudicial executions during the present wave of terrorist attacks

When asked what he felt the Jewish community could do in response to Wallstrom’s comments, Verstandig said that the small size of Sweden’s Jewish community, which stands at approximately 20,000 people, does not enable any significant action. Moreover, he said that this represented a diplomatic crisis between the two countries which makes matters even more difficult.

However, Verstandig said that he had spoken directly with the Israeli ambassador to Sweden and expressed his dismay. In reference to the acting Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotoveli’s comments that Swedish diplomats were unwelcome in Israel, the chairman expressed that while he could understand Israeli reactions, he also hoped to see a return to normalization.

Verstandig also told TPS that various measures were suggested by members of the Jewish community.

“I have members of my community that have said we should not invite any ministers of the government to the Holocaust Memorial Day in two weeks but I don’t feel this is appropriate. Despite Wallstrom’s comments, there are members who have shown great support for us especially during the terrorist attacks in Copenhagen about a year ago.”  

While it would be hasty to say that these statements have generated anti-Semitism, Verstandig did emphasize that it has the natural effect of alienating Israel.

“I feel that the statements have alienated and delegitimize Israel. Swedish society, much like other societies in Europe, equates Jews with Israel. If something happens in Israel such as war, the security situation changes for us completely. Therefore, Wallstrom’s statements certainly alienate Israel and as a consequence, alienate the Jewish community,” he told TPS.

Verstandig cited Sweden’s application for a place on the UN Security Council as a possible reason for Wallstrom’s increased assaults on Israel.

“I think one of the main reasons for Sweden to be doing this could be that they have invested a lot in obtaining a seat on the UN Security Council next year. So I think that this should also be seen in the context of this application. I think it might be related although I don’t know.”

Wallstrom’s comments have sparked an outcry among Israeli politicians. On Wednesday, the chairman of the centrist Yesh Atid party, Yair Lapid met with EU High Representative Federica Mogherini and told her that “the Swedish foreign minister cannot continue to say abhorrent things about the State of Israel.”