Swedish media reports that local police have approved burning a Tanach (Jewish bible) in front of the Israeli embassy in Stockholm. The request was made by a 30-year-old man who claimed that “it is a symbolic statement for freedom of expression.”
He requested to burn the Jewish bible on July 15th. A previous request was cancelled.
A few weeks ago, an immigrant to Sweden burned a Koran in protest and that launched a whole slew of requests to burn more religious texts. Lucky for us they haven’t yet started with burning Jews.
Israel’s ambassador to Sweden said that he “completely condemns the burning of holy books of any religion. This is a step of hatred and disrespect that has nothing to do with freedom of expression.” A Foreign Ministry source said, “The Foreign Ministry and the Israeli Embassy in Sweden are working to prevent this shameful act”
שגריר ישראל בשוודיה: “מגנה לחלוטין שריפה של ספרי קודש מכל דת שהיא. זהו צעד של שנאה וחוסר כבוד שאין דבר בינו לבין חופש הביטוי” • גורם במשרד החוץ לכאן חדשות: “במשרד החוץ ובשגרירות ישראל בשוודיה פועלים למנוע את המעשה המביש”@Yoav__Zehavi
— כאן חדשות (@kann_news) July 14, 2023
President Isaac Herzog responds to the decision in Sweden to allow the burning of a Jewish Bible stating, “I unequivocally condemn the permission granted in Sweden to burn holy books. As the President of the State of Israel, I condemned the burning of the Quran, sacred to Muslims world over, and I am now heartbroken that the same fate awaits a Jewish Bible, the eternal book of the Jewish people.
“Permitting the defacement of sacred texts is not an exercise in freedom of expression, it is blatant incitement and an act of pure hate. The whole world must join together in clearly condemning this repulsive act.”
Chief Rabbi David Lau wrote to Swedish prime minister Kristersson, declaring that this isn’t an expression of freedom, but rather of antisemitism.
