Swedish Democrat head says Jews are not true Swedes (update x2)

From TheLocal.se:

The party secretary of the Sweden Democrats has suggested that migrants should be given a cash incentive to leave Sweden and suggested that minority groups needed to "assimilate" more to be considered true Swedes.

"It would be good with a repatriation grant," Björn Söder said in a lengthy interview with Dagens Nyheter.

When asked specifically if migrants in the southern city of Malmö should be given money to return home he stated that he was not against the idea.

"Yes, and that is good. We must make it easier for those considering moving back to their own country. Then we'll be in a better condition to create a society of common identity."

Elsewhere in the interview Söder mentioned Jews, Kurds and Sami people as examples of groups that may have Swedish citizenship but, in his view, can't be considered true Swedes if they don't "assimilate" into Swedish society.

"We are for an inclusive society where everybody who wants to can fit in. We have an open Swedishness which also includes people with foreign roots. But you have to adapt to the Swedish and assimilate in order to become Swedish," said Söder.

He added; "I think that most people with Jewish origin who have become Swedes leave their Jewish identity behind. But if they don't it doesn't have to be an issue.

"You have to differentiate between citizenship and national affiliation. They can still be Swedish citizens and live in Sweden. Sami and Jews have lived in Sweden for a long time," he said.

His remarks have not gone down well with the chairperson of the Swedish committee against anti-Semitism, Willy Silberstein.

"I am Jewish and born in Sweden. I am just as much Swedish as Björn Söder. There is an us and them mentality which I think is a characteristic of the party.

"We should remember that the Sweden Democrats come from Nazi organizations."

Since this is a right-wing party, the story might get some traction in the media, unlike when Muslims say antisemitic things.

(h/t Marcus)

UPDATE: A number of people are writing to me that his words were twisted, and that the SD party has been the only one speaking out against antisemitism in Malmo. See the comments. I can't pretend to know the situation well and the possibility of media manipulation is always quite real, but it is still arrogant to declare who is and who isn't a true Swede and to put Jews who lived in Sweden for generations in a position to have to continuously prove themselves as "true Swedes."

UPDATE 2:  Björn Söder responds in a letter to Haaretz:

In a biased article in one of Sweden’s largest newspapers, Dagens Nyheter, some of my statements were dramatically taken out of context to erroneously credit me opinions that do not correspond with reality. Politically biased journalists and political opponents have further distorted the statements resulting in a presentation virtually the complete opposite of my actual statements and opinions. This is now distributed in the international press, such as in Haaretz, which therefore necessitates a clarification on my part.

I represent the Sweden Democrats, a social conservative party on a nationalistic/patriotic foundation which views value conservatism and the maintenance of a solidarity-based welfare model as the most important tools in building a well-functioning society. We are also Sweden’s most ardent pro-Israeli party, strongly opposed to Sweden’s recognition of a Palestinian state as well as any aid to the Palestinian Authority as we do not wish to be associated with financially aiding terrorism in any way.

Along with a Jewish colleague on a trip to Israel in the spring of 2012, I visited among other places Samaria and the Golan Heights to obtain an understanding about the situation for the Jewish people in Israel. I also visited the Knesset and met several Israeli politicians. Those who know me are well familiar with my strong commitment to the State of Israel and the Jewish people. To then be accused of the direct opposite is outright insulting.

The Sweden Democrats advocate a policy of assimilation, which means that immigrants coming to Sweden should be expected to adapt to Swedish society. In my conversation with the DN journalist I discussed the fact that Sweden currently recognizes five national minorities, which are exempt from these requirements. These minorities are Sami, Roma, Sweden Finns, Tornedalers and Jews. Common to these minority groups is that they have lived in Sweden for a prolonged period of time and that they represent groups with a pronounced affinity. They have a religious, linguistic or cultural background and a desire to preserve this identity of theirs. They thus constitute their own nations within the Swedish state.

We distinguish between nationhood and citizenship. For this I have been criticized, but I am certain that you in Israel make this same distinction. Of course not all Israeli citizens are Jewish and the same certainly applies in Sweden.

Naturally there are some people from these minority nations who have, partly or fully, joined the Swedish nation by adapting a Swedish identity. I personally have relatives who have Sami and Jewish backgrounds but who would not consider themselves as anything other than Swedes.

When asked whether one can simultaneously be both Jewish and Swedish, I did not respond “no,” though this is exactly how it was portrayed in the Swedish press. I replied that I believe most people of Jewish origin that have become Swedes (as in becoming a part of the Swedish nation) may have partly abandoned their Jewish identity in some cases. I emphasized, however, that whether they do or not, it does not pose a problem since they have lived in Sweden for so long and they are in fact part of a recognized minority. This enables them to continue living here in Sweden with their Jewish nationhood and Swedish citizenship. The same applies to the other recognized minority groups. Some Jews in Sweden are Jewish strictly in a religious sense while others are also Jewish in a national and cultural sense.

I have defended our recognized minority groups, including the Jews, as having the right to maintain this unique societal position, as compared to other minority groups in the country. To this end I have now been attributed various political viewpoints that are foreign to me.

Bjorn Soder
Secretary-General for the Sweden Democrats
Second Deputy Speaker of the Swedish Parliament