Jews steal arab organs!

[Octavian]

And where in the Swedish government does it say that the government cannot comment on stories in the Swedish press?

Comment or condemn?

Anyway I find the swedish argument about freedom of speech hilarious considering that many (if not most) swedes still believe Denmark should apologies to the islamotards for the Mohammed cartoons.

Ultimately, the Swedish government is right in this case.  Of course, they're still a bunch of antisemitic assholes.

I agree

[The Minsky Moment]

The story should be easy to verify one way or another.  It's very difficult to steal organs without anyone noticing.  A single large pipe can get up to 1000 pounds.

[Martinus]

To me "blood libel" is an expression used to make such accusations look particularly heinous and dangerous, because they are targeted at a vulnerable minority; in this context, blood libel was often used as a prelude to pogroms. As such they have a very strong negative connotation in Western culture.

In this context, using the term "blood libel" to describe such accusations being leveled against the Israeli state (which, as you yourself point out, could and are sometimes used against other countries as well) is a semantic/intellectual dishonesty, in the same vein as labeling anyone who criticises Israel as an "antisemite".

Well I think the context of using this sort of thing is attempting to justify terrorism and attacks on the Israeli state, property, and people so I sort of view it rather intellectually honest rather than dishonest.  Likewise similar accusations against the United States are used for exactly the same purposes.

I don't believe many Swedes (Slargos excepted) will join the ranks of terrorists after reading this story.

[Martinus]

Well I think the context of using this sort of thing is attempting to justify terrorism and attacks on the Israeli state, property, and people so I sort of view it rather intellectually honest rather than dishonest.  Likewise similar accusations against the United States are used for exactly the same purposes.

Donations to Hamas, bans on Israeli academics, safe haven for terrorists, trade embargoes, etc.

It's a little ironic that Marty's qualifications for people you're not allowed to throw unsubstantiated allegations at excludes...gays!

It's also a little ironic that Marty, who's every third word is homophobe when the topic is gays, is so quick to denounce the term antisemite.

Really? I don't think you have ever seen me calling for the US government to make an official statement denouncing every publication made in the US that presents gays in a bad light through baseless allegations. 

[Ed Anger]

The story should be easy to verify one way or another.  It's very difficult to steal organs without anyone noticing.  A single large pipe can get up to 1000 pounds.

They ignored our church organ jokes.

[jimmy olsen]

Come on... would you have said the same in the case of Denmark and the Muhammad cartoons?

Governments must NOT interfere with our freedoms, and freedom of expression and press are very much included. I supported Denmark against muslim pressures, and now I will support Sweden against Israel's pressures if need be.

If Israel's government thinks that the article is so full of lies, then the proper thing to do is a lawsuit.

Later: I see you have changed your mind. Boy, that's not the Languish style(TM)!!!

I will leave my post because I think the comment is still interesting, given the circumstances. Both the cartoons and the article are probably examples of very bad journalism, but pressures against the freedom of expression are a serious danger.

I haven't changed my mind. Condemnation is not the same as censorship. While I wouldn't agree with them, if the government of Denmark had condemned the cartoons, there wouldn't be anything wrong with that. It's only censorship if the government attempts to prevent a newspaper from publishing. American government officials condemn inaccurate stories all the time and freedom of the press is in no way threatened by it.

[Malthus]

I don't believe many Swedes (Slargos excepted) will join the ranks of terrorists after reading this story.

The article isn't going to be read only by Swedes. In the Arab world, this sort of conspiracy stuff will read like gospel.

[Grallon]

...

Oh that was like anti-semitic and anti-Arab at the same time!  Go me!

  Technically both ethic groups are semitic, so you're right on the money.



G.

[Valmy]

Really? I don't think you have ever seen me calling for the US government to make an official statement denouncing every publication made in the US that presents gays in a bad light through baseless allegations. 

Which is different from saying a blood libel is, in fact, not a blood libel because Israel exists as a state.  It is a blood libel and it serves the exact same purposes they always did: to encourage attacks on Jews.

[Valmy]

The article isn't going to be read only by Swedes. In the Arab world, this sort of conspiracy stuff will read like gospel.

While I am not hanging around in the Arab world, it sure seems like it.

[Valmy]

I don't believe many Swedes (Slargos excepted) will join the ranks of terrorists after reading this story.

If I publish an article encouraging the murder of gays, does it mean my article does in fact not encourage the murder of gays if no gays are murdered?

It never occured to me to judge articles entirely on their outcomes and not their substance.

[Valmy]

  Technically both ethic groups are semitic, so you're right on the money.

[The Brain]

Israeli ambassador to Sweden 2002-04 Zvi Mazel says there is a huge anti-Israel conspiracy in Swedish media. "There is no press freedom in Sweden." In Sweden he is most well known for personally destroying an installation in a Stockholm museum in 2004.

Too bad the ambassadors don't simply cancel out and disappear.

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1249418677847&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

[Valmy]

Israeli ambassador to Sweden 2002-04 Zvi Mazel says there is a huge anti-Israel conspiracy in Swedish media. "There is no press freedom in Sweden." In Sweden he is most well known for personally destroying an installation in a Stockholm museum in 2004.

I think decades of siege mentality is starting to drive the Israelis steadily insane.  Either that or decades of exposure to the crucible of crazy that is the Middle East.  Israel/Palestine will somebody be the world's largest loony bin.

[DisturbedPervert]

The article isn't going to be read only by Swedes. In the Arab world, this sort of conspiracy stuff will read like gospel.

These organ theft stories have been around for decades and have been aimed at virtually every country, and seem to be taken as truth almost everywhere.  Americans doing aid work Latin America have been been attacked by locals who thought they were scouting out which organs to steal.  The US even has an official who's job is to counter organ theft rumors.  Of course, I don't think a similar Israeli official would have much success at that job...