Swedish Lawmakers Attended Pro-Palestinian Rally Featuring Arabic Chants of 'Slaughter the Jews

The Israeli ambassador to Sweden has protested after pro-Palestinian demonstrators shouted violent slogans Sunday encouraging terrorism against Israelis including a call to “slaughter the Jews.” A left-wing Swedish lawmaker who attended the rally, however, said she had thought the protesters were simply chanting "freedom, freedom."

“There were explicit calls in Arabic that urge to 'slaughter the Jews,' 'stab soldiers,' to carry out 'terror attack after terror attack' while referring to the knife killers as 'heroes' and urging to 'start a 3rd Intifada'…!” Israeli Ambassador Isaac Bachman posted on Facebook.

“These are extremely troubling instances of a grotesque but nevertheless very real — and murderous — incitement which must be dealt with by the full force of the law!” he added.

The ambassador posted this excerpt from the rally which was held on Sunday in Malmo:

Two left-wing members of the Swedish Parliament were later criticized for attending the rally.

Hillevi Larsson of the Social Democratic Party, a lawmaker who attended the rally wearing a Palestinian keffiyeh scarf, told Swedish Radio that someone standing next to her at the demonstration told her that the Arabic slogans were calling for “freedom.”

"I was told they chanted 'freedom, freedom — the holiest word,'" Larsson said.

After learning the violent meaning of the chants, Larsson wrote on Twitter, "I condemn all violence — particularly violence against civilians. I also condemn slogans inciting violence!"

Radio Sweden reported that Daniel Sestrajcic of the Left Party said he left the rally before the chanting began.

"I think it seems awful and it's not something I, in any way, would stand for," he said.

Israeli Ambassador Bachman's wife, Osnat, wrote, “Swedish people: Is this what you believe in? Is this what you bargained for? Are these your morals? Since I know the answers I feel ashamed in your name.”

(H/T: JTA)