The Israeli government is right and wrong

The in Sweden so called Israel-affair is growing off limits, and Foreign Minister Carl Bildt is trying to defend his point in his blog. I beleive that you have to look at things out of two perspectives.

On one hand the Israeli Government, which is asking for an official apology by the Swedish government, and even wants to stop Swedish journalists from working in Israel (see Dagen, DN). One can definately understand the viewpoints of Israel. I would also react if someone accused me, or the Swedish army, to steal organs from assasinated enemies and sell them in the black market. Even if it is a kind of war going on, and palestinians are being killed that is far away from the idea of an army of a democratic state ripping corpses and selling the contents. This is definately an illustration of a demonization of Israel which in this case has reached even into the Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet. Anders Gerdmar, a theologian that I know has written about this, in Swedish, at Newsmill and he can really confirm this idea of demonization of Israel.

It is also a fact that Israel is a country in the Middle East. In the Middle East people do not express demselves as modestly as we do in Scandinavia! No, they react strongly and loudly, especially in a situation where you feel intimidated. We in Sweden often concider Israel a part of the Western world, but the greater part of the population is of oriental origin, or has at least grown up there. Therefor it is easy to see parallels (not in the level of violence though) to the reactions in the Middle East towards the Mohamed cartoons.

On the other hand I do agree with Carl Bildt and the Swedish government in the promotion of the Swedish freedom of press. The fact that Aftonbladet has published a badly underbuilt article which is an example of bad journalism deserves attacs in the public debate - even on the pages of Aftonbladet itself. Israel should objectively reproach the attac perhaps whith an article in Aftonbladet. Facts and objectivity will also win in the end - because it is the Truth that set us free!

The swedish government should pick up the work done by former Prime Minister Göran Persson and initiate a new Holocaust conference in Stockholm. This is suggested by Tomas Sandell, director of European coalition for Israel (ViD). There is definately need for a bettering of the Swedish reputation after this article in Aftonbladet, and the events concerning the Davis Cup-match in Malmö recently.

DN 1,2,3,4,5, SvD 1,2,3,4 Dagen 1,2,3

Debate on circumcision

In Sweden there is now going on a debate on circumcision. In the Swedish cristian newspaper "Dagen" there was the other day an article about the Uppsalaresident Hans Rosling, Professor in public health who is the man behind http://www.gapminder.org/, who says there are no medical reasons not to practice circumcision. Those who claim that are "either not updated or lying". Gunnar Götberg and Yngve Hofvander are two doctors in Sweden who have been trying to abolish male circumcision.

I think it is allright that the public health system also offer male circumcision, especially when there is a risk that it otherwise is made in an insecure way. As long as you pay for it I concider it uncontroversial. What does it matter if you have foreskin or not?

In the Uppsala county board I recently supported to follow the recommendations by SKL that every county should offer circumcision.

Also Peter Wolodarsky at DN means that Gunnar Götberg and others should update on what recent research is saying on the subject.