The Tundra Tabloids spoke with Ilya Meyer this afternoon, he is the man who first broke the news about Lennart Eriksson’s unlawful demotion within the Swedish Migration Board last month. What was Eriksson’s fall from grace you might ask? Well, he had been caught expressing (the shock and horror of it all) pro-Israel sentiments on his website!
The reasoning goes, that as a Swedish bureaucrat, he should have supposedly known better than to not appear impartial. But wait, it’s apparently A-OK to have political opinions if you’re PRO-PALESTINIAN!
The Haaretz picked it up and reports on it here:
Eriksson says that at least one of his former colleagues, Arne Malmgren, is a veteran pro-Palestinian activist working against human rights violations in the West Bank and Lebanon. Malmgren and his wife, Birgitta Elfstrom – who also worked at the board until retiring recently – are quoted in the international media in this context.
The board never approached Malmgren on this issue and has even recently promoted him, says Eriksson. Press officer Andersson would only say on this issue that “Mr. Malmgren has not been promoted to a position as head of any unit.”
See how that works?! In Swedish bureaucratic circles, being anti-Israel guaruntees the government worker a good working atmosphere, slaps on the back and even promotions! Being pro-Israel will just send your bureaucratic career into a tailspin.
Israel’s former ambassador to Sweden, Zvi Mazel, said he was not surprised by the incident. “The people who fired Eriksson took the lead from a prevalent anti-Israel atmosphere in Sweden’s corridors of power,” he said.
Dr. Mikael Tossavainen, a Swedish-born researcher at the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, said he considered the incident a danger to free speech.
Upon hearing about the case, the vice chair of the Sweden-Israel Friendship Society, Ilya Meyer, launched a public campaign to raise awareness about what he calls political persecution apparent in Eriksson’s case.
“If someone from another country had suffered the treatment to which Eriksson has been subjected, the victim would be granted political asylum in Sweden on the grounds of political persecution,” Meyer said.
Sweden is well known for its anti-Israel biases, kudos to Lennart Erkisson for sticking to his guns, and to Ilya Meyer for helping to bring it to all our attention. Ilaya is a dear friend of the TT, and stalwart supporter of the Jewish state of Israel. Mazel Tov! More here. *L* KGS
Not a surprise, unfortunately. The one prejudice that is permissible in today’s ultra-politically correct world is anti-Israeli prejudice. In fact, it’s generally encouraged.
BHG
However, the neocons in USA are as politically correct. Actions speak louder than words. Despite all the tough talk on multiculturalism, the real neoconservative agenda seems to be “Israel for the Israelis, Europe for the Muslims and America for everyone”. And do I need to remind you that Bush agreed to give Kosovo to the Muslims.
Although I am an anti-islam conservative, as an European, it is very difficult to support America or Israel, when they would like nothing better than to see Europe’s demise. Israel’s welfare is all that matters to the neocons, not the Western world as a whole: not USA and certainly not Europe. It is all right for Jews to be nationalistic, yet if similar, pro-European movements were to rise in Europe, Israel would be among the first to oppose them, whether these movements would be pro-Israel or not.
Excuse me Finncon, but I fail to see your line reasoning. American concervatives have been on the front lines speaking out against the Islamization of Europe, and saying no to creeping sharia and dhimmitude.
Politicians are another kettle of fish, but there have been notable concervative politicians giving the warning calls of what is facing Europe if there is no turning back of the sharia clock.
I find your statements that “America would like nothing better than to see Europe’s demise” very hard to swallow.
I would also like to remind you that Finnish president Martti Ahtisaari SPEAR HEADED the drive for Kosovo independence, the Finns are all over this one as well.
Israel is well aware of the danger an Islamized europe poses to istelf, but with soo much anti-Israel sentiment emminating from the Europeans, just tell me what would you have Israel to do?
If the Europeans won’t even stop their own continent from being over run by Islam, and are intent od saddeling Israel with a terrorist entity in its own back yard, why should Israel be blamed for Europe’s failings?
Come on, and rethink your position once more, we need folks like you to help slow the Islamizing process here in the EU, let’s not cast blame where it doesn’t belong. Europe itself embarked on the process of becoming a EU superstate, and allowing unfettered immigration from Islamic countries.
That albatross shouldn’t and can’t be placed around Israel’s neck, it was made in the EU.