Stockholm Police Approve Torah Burning Outside of the Israeli Embassy

Stockholm Police Approve Torah Burning Outside of the Israeli Embassy

Edited by: TJVNews.com

Stockholm police have granted permission for a public gathering to be held outside the Israeli embassy, sparking controversy over the organizer’s intention to “light the Torah with a lighter,” the Jerusalem Post reported on Thursday.  The woman in her 50s, who applied for the gathering, claims it is a manifestation for children’s rights in Sweden that she believes are systematically violated. However, the Jerusalem Post also reported that the act of burning the Torah, a sacred book revered by the Jewish people, has drawn strong condemnation from Israeli officials and members of the Jewish community in Sweden. The situation has raised concerns about respecting religious sentiments and has prompted calls for the authorities to take action to prevent the provocative event, the report added.

According to reports by SVT Nyheter, the woman in her 50s was granted permission to hold the gathering, which is expected to be attended by only four people. The event is scheduled to take place at 12 noon on Friday, and the police are engaging in a dialogue with the organizer and other parties, including the Israeli embassy, to address potential concerns and ensure safety, as was reported by the Jerusalem Post.

Israel’s Aliyah and Integration Minister Ofir Sofer expressed strong condemnation of the woman’s intention to burn the Torah, describing it as “shameful” and an act that cheapens the sacred value of the holy book and hurts Jews worldwide, according to the JPost report. Minister Sofer urged the authorities in Stockholm to take immediate action and cancel the planned event, emphasizing the importance of respecting religious sentiments.

An official from the Jewish community in Sweden expressed concern about the rising trend of burning holy books, including the Quran and now the Torah, and hoped that the police would intervene to prevent such an act, citing the absence of freedom of speech in this case, the JPost report noted.

Israel’s Foreign Minister Eli Cohen also responded to the report, expressing his dismay at the threat to burn a Torah scroll in Sweden. The JPost reported that he stated that threats to harm holy books must be stopped and pledged to speak with the Swedish Foreign Minister to urge the government to prevent such events, which could harm bilateral relations between the countries.

Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, the Rabbi of the Western Wall and the Holy Places in Israel, expressed astonishment and deep concern over the Stockholm police’s approval of the event. The JPost reported that he criticized the authorities’ response as weak, calling for a reconsideration of the decision in the name of human freedom of expression and moral direction.

In a statement, Rabbi Rabinowitz said, “I am astonished and deeply disturbed by the Stockholm police’s second approval of the burning of the Bible. The Swedish authorities’ weak response, merely uttering empty words about freedom, pales in comparison to the heinous actions – both those that have already occurred and those that may come. This is not what freedom should look like; it represents a loss of moral direction. I implore the Swedish authorities and all those who cherish human freedom of expression to reconsider. There is still time to act. Not for the sake of the scriptures do I make this plea, as they have been burned countless times by those who harbor hatred toward Israel, and no force in the world has been able to prevent it.”

As the event approaches, the situation remains tense, with calls for authorities to intervene and prevent any actions that may further exacerbate the situation and strain international relations.