Sweden summons “Israel” envoy for talks over Israeli Army organ harvesting article

Although the meeting with "Israeli" envoy Benny Dagan had been scheduled before the article was published, officials in the Swedish foreign ministry told local news agencies on Friday that it would now be used to address the escalating tension between the two countries.
The officials added that comments by Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman "had aroused anger" in Stockholm.

Lieberman slammed Sweden on Thursday for not intervening in "the blood libel against Jews," adding that "the matter is reminiscent of the state's stand during World War II, when it also did not intervene."

He also said that he would speak with his Swedish counterpart Carl Bildt, but according to news agencies he had still not contacted Bildt as of Friday afternoon.

On Thursday, Bildt rejected "Israeli" calls for an official condemnation of the article.

Lieberman had asked Bildt to print a state rebuttal to the piece, which was published earlier this week in Sweden's top newspaper Aftonbladet. Dagan was expected to make a similar request during his meeting with Swedish foreign ministry officials.

Bildt denied the request, however, writing in a blog post late Thursday that he would not condemn the article as "freedom of expression is part of the Swedish constitution."

"Freedom of expression and press freedom are very strong in our constitution by tradition. And that strong protection has served our democracy and our country well," Bildt wrote.

"If I were engaged in editing all strange debate contributions in different media I probably wouldn't have time to do much else."

Bildt said he understood why the article stirred strong emotions in "Israel", but said basic values in society are best protected by free discussion.

The article has enraged "Israeli" officials, who called it blatantly racist and said it played on vile anti-Semitic themes.

Bildt, meanwhile, says the condemnation of anti-Semitism is "the only issue on which there has ever been complete unity in the Swedish parliament."

The article in Sweden's biggest-selling newspaper was first reported internationally by Haaretz.com on Tuesday, and has sparked fierce widespread debate both in Sweden and abroad. The article claims that as far back as 1992, the Israeli Army was taking organs from Palestinian youths it killed, and also mentions an ongoing U.S. crime investigation involving members of the American Jewish community.

The Foreign Ministry is doubtful that the Swedish government will publish a condemnation, and are therefore considering other measures. One idea is to cancel an upcoming visit by Bildt to "Israel", which is planned for 10 days from now.

Another idea is to allow Bildt to make his visit to "Israel", but to use the visit as a well publicized criticism of the article, and for officials to refuse to speak with him about any subject other than the article.

Foreign ministry officials said if there is no official Swedish condemnation this crisis will not be solved.

Lieberman has informed foreign ministry employees to weigh canceling the government press cards of writers from Aftonbladet in "Israel", as well as to refuse to assist the paper in any way whatsoever in covering "Israeli" news.

It also emerged Thursday that Defense Minister Ehud Barak is considering a libel lawsuit against the writer of the article.

The Swedish government on Thursday distanced itself from a statement by its ambassador to "Israel", in which she criticized the article saying that "the condemnation was solely the judgment of the embassy [in Tel Aviv], and designed for an "Israeli"audience." The comments came in a statement released Thursday by the Swedish Foreign Ministry.

"The article in the Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet is as shocking and appalling to us Swedes, as it is to "Israeli"citizens," said Ambassador Elisabet Borsiin Bonnier on Wednesday.

"Just as in "Israel", freedom of the press prevails in Sweden," Bonnier said. "However, freedom of the press and freedom of expression are freedoms which carry a certain responsibility."