WASHINGTON (JTA) — The leaders of the U.S. Helsinki Commission urged European foreign ministers to unequivocally denounce an anti-Semitic article in a Swedish newspaper.
Sen. Benjamin Cardin (D-Md.), chairman of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, and co-chair Rep. Alcee Hastings (D-Fla.) on Monday called on European leaders to condemn an article in the Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet that accused Israeli soldiers of harvesting the organs of Palestinian prisoners.
"We at the U.S. Helsinki Commission are dedicated to upholding human rights, particularly freedom of the press," Cardin said. "But with freedom of the press comes responsibility. And when major press outlets fail to meet their responsibility, and instead raise the specter of racism or anti-Semitism, then public officials are duty bound to speak out and condemn such blatant falsehoods."
