This weekend’s tennis match between Israel and Sweden appears to have more to do with politics than sport. Pictures of the violent protests against Israeli representation recall the worst days of the Intifada.

It is easy to compare the lawlessness of the protesters with those who attacked British police recently in London. Of more interest is to analyse their basic complaint that Israeli society is racist.

Speak to Ishamel Khalidi, Israel’s deputy consul general in San Francisco. A Muslim, a proud Bedouin, the owner of a master’s degree from Tel Aviv university, he clearly disagrees with such an appraisal. Writing recently in the San Franciso Chronicle, he observed: –

If Israel were an apartheid state, I would not have been appointed here, nor would I have chosen to take upon myself this duty.

On a different spectrum, the Leo Beck School in Haifa has a diverse student background. You can find Jew, Muslim, Druze, Christian, etc. Almost every year, another multi-ethnic school opens in Israel.

The Israeli Parliament has numerous non-Jewish representatives. The judiciary is replete with members of the minorities. And my wife works in the Ein Kerem area of Jerusalem, where today the church bells will toll out loudly as per every Sunday.

On March 4th, the Independent Commission for Human Rights released its monthly report re violations of civil liberties in Palestinian territories. At least 4 citizens, including Basheer ‘Ilayyan al Zaytouneh, died from torture. One died under interrogation from Palestinian police. Numerous journalists, like Wa’el Issam Abdul Qader, were detained or arrested or deported. etc etc.

So, are teh protesters in Sweden really interested in human rights or dumping their “politically hatred” on others?