Sweden says antisemitism accusations are 'clearly not serious'

Sweden found an easy way to deal with antisemitism.

Via The Local:

 A spokesperson for Swedish foreign minister Margot Wallström has hit back at a Jewish human rights organization ranking some of her comments among the most anti-Semitic or anti-Israel remarks of 2016.

The Simon Wiesenthal Center (SWC), which is headquartered in Los Angeles, lists the Swedish minister's comments in eighth place in its ranking of the “ten worst global anti-Semitic/anti-Israel incidents”.

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In its ranking the SWC accuses Wallström, “whose consistently one-sided criticism of the Jewish State has outraged Israelis” of “worr[ying] about terrorists not their victims”.

It also notes that relations between Sweden and Israel have been strained for some time, mentioning Sweden's recognition of Palestine as a state shortly after Sweden's current centre-left government took office in 2014. “Relations between Israel and Sweden plummeted last year after [Wallström] attributed the Palestinian-Israeli conflict as a major reason for growing Islamist radicalism,” it adds.

A spokesperson for the Swedish foreign minister hit back at the centre on Wednesday.

“The list is clearly not serious,” wrote Erik Wirkensjö in an e-mail to public broadcaster SVT. “It mixes up anti-Semitism and criticism of the State of Israel's politics and puts President Barack Obama at number one.”

“To superficially and casually, as this list does, accuse political leaders of anti-Semitism risks undermining the important fight against anti-Semitism. Sweden's government is active in the fight against anti-Semitism and is for sustainable peace and a two-state solution.”

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