Inside Story - Israel - Sweden relations strained-Aug 28 09

Binyamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, has joined broad Israeli criticism of the Swedish Aftonbladet newspaper over the claims Israeli troops took organs from Palestinians killed to sell for transplant.

The article claimed Israeli soldiers kidnapped Palestinian youths and returned their dismembered bodies a few days later - with incidents dating back to 1992.

The article has been branded anti-semitic quote "hate porn." It has also been labeled an "unspeakable piece", "outrageous and appalling."

Netanyahu has urged the Swedish government to condemn the article while Sweden, citing a right to free expression, refuses to interfere.

A diplomatic crisis between the two countries is looming.

Has Israel overreacted - and what about the allegations themselves, are they credible? Has the incident been blown out of proportion? Or is it, as some say, a sign of lingering anti-semitic sentiments in Europe?

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• afton bladet
• inside story
• imran garda
• donald bostrom
• marcus sheff
• mustafa barghouti
• sweden
• israel