(JTA) — The chairman of Amnesty International-Finland called Israel a "punk state."
Writing on his blog on the website of the Finnish tabloid Iltalehti, Frank Johansson recounted a visit with a friend who lives in Israel: After "several years of residence in the holy country, he has come to the conclusion that ‘Israel is a punk state.’ On the basis of my own visit, which occurred during the 1970s and 1990s for the final time, I agree."
Johansson used the statement as a jumping-off point to deplore the actions of an Israeli female soldier who recently posted photos of herself posing with Palestinian prisoners on Facebook. A post on the Tundra Tabloids blog translates the Finnish term used by Johansson, "nilkkimaa," as "scum state."
The Tundra Tabloids blog questioned Johansson’s ability to lead a human rights organization while making such public statements.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
