Israel condemned Sweden Thursday after the country's police once again approved a request to burn a Torah book outside the Israeli embassy in Stockholm.
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Aliyah and Integration Minister Ofir Sofer strongly condemned the move, describing the event as "shameful" and one that hurts Jews, who hold the book sacred.
Video: A resident of Sweden talks with Israel Hayom on the recent controversy. Credit; Israel Hayom
Israeli ambassador to Sweden Ziv Nevo Kulman also condemned the "shameful act."
Sweden has come under heavy criticism in recent weeks for repeatedly granting permits to burn holy books, including Qurans. Although the country stressed that it did not support the burning, it stressed that it held freedom of speech and protest sacred.
I strongly condemn the burning of holy books, and hope that this shameful act will be prevented. A way must be found to stop these useless provocations from reoccurring. https://t.co/V6KGlMSjfF
— Ziv Nevo Kulman 🇮🇱 (@zivnk) July 27, 2023
The latest request to burn a Torah book, in particular, came from a woman in her 50s, who said that the gathering – scheduled for noon on Friday and to be attended by four people – was a "manifestation for children's rights in Sweden that are systematically violated."
A previously approved burning of sacred books never materialized as the man who made the request and planned the event arrived at the Israeli embassy but never lit fire to the books, saying it was never his intention to do so.
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