By: Aryeh Pekker
Although Sweden is often toted as a human rights success story it does seem to suffer from some short term memory loss. Apparently it only takes a little over sixty years for them to forget the atrocities that were the reason for establishing human rights as part of an international norm. Today, as in the past, Jews are leaving Europe thanks to a surge in Antisemitic hate crimes, products from the usual bands of Neo-Nazis but more recently because of a large influx of Muslim immigrants from the Middle East and parts of Africa. In the Swedish city of Malmo, Jews number approximately 700 out of almost 285,000 people, or less than a quarter of one percent. Despite the fact that there are over 40,000 (possibly up to 60,000) Muslims in Malmo, more than 57 times the number of Jews, Jews are routinely being harassed, intimidated and physically attacked on a regular basis. In 2009, Malmo police stated that of 115 hate crimes reported, 52 were against Jews. Do the math and that means that in proportion to their size, Jews in Malmo are about 335 times more likely to be the victims of hate crimes than the average citizen. We often ask questions about the Holocaust such as; “How could it have happened” and the answers usually range from appeasement, to historic Jew hatred and so on. We could ask the same question today about the situation in Sweden and get much the same answers. According to the mayor of Malmo, Ilmar Reepalu,
“We want Malmo to be cosmopolitan and safe for everybody and we have taken action. I have started a dialogue forum. There haven't been any attacks on Jewish people, and if Jews from the city want to move to Israel that is not a matter for Malmo.”
Well by golly, what do you know, it turns out there have not been any attacks on Jewish people after all. And here I am quoting statistics by the mayor's own police department thinking that Jews may have something to worry about. How ignorant of me. However, hypothetically speaking, if there were attacks on Jews in Malmo, what does Mr. Reepalu think is the cause? According to an interview he gave to Skanskan, a Swedish newspaper, its the Jews' fault. The old “Jews bring it on themselves” argument that we have heard so many times before; if that isn't prejudice then it doesn't exist. Reepalu suggested that Jews in Malmo should distance themselves from Israel and its policies in order to prevent further intimidation and attacks. Sounds simply enough. So all that Jews have to do in order to prevent their own victimization is give up their rights to freedom of speech, of opinion, of conscience and accept the fact that human rights, apparently, only apply to people who take an active role in denouncing the Jewish State. But the Jews who are either quietly minding their own business or have the audacity to support Israel? For them it seems Sweden has run out of rights.
Hate crimes force Jews out of Malmo
Jews leave Swedish city after sharp rise in anti-Semitic hate crimes
Malmö mayor says unaware of level of attacks on Jews
Great piece Aryeh!
ReplyDeletethank you kind sir.
ReplyDeleteGreat article!
ReplyDeleteMalmo is probably one of the worst cases in Europe. Holland and England are not lagging far behind.
Honestly, what international norms or human rights story we're talking about Europe, who will do solely things for its own interest. Look at the Lockerbie bomber, released for what? for oil. Why does Europe want to get involved in Lybia and nowhere else like Iran over the uprisings because Lybia provides many European countries with oil, has nothing to do with human rights. All a farce.
Every country does what is in its best interest.
ReplyDeleteIt's going this way in Norway too. Roll on Sharia law and how much fun they'll all have. Enjoy!
ReplyDelete