Israeli Ambassador Condemns Graphic Stockholm Protest Staging Ritualistic Murder of Mother and Infant

Israeli Ambassador Ziv Nevo Kulman condemns a graphic Stockholm protest depicting the ritual murder of a Palestinian family as a modern "blood libel."

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 21, 2026, 10:16 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from The Times of Israel

A Graphic Display of Political Theater

The diplomatic rift between Israel and Sweden widened this weekend after a pro-Palestinian rally in central Stockholm utilized highly provocative street theater to criticize Israeli government policy. Witnesses at Odenplan Square observed a performance in which an individual portraying National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, identifiable by a yarmulke, appeared to slit the throat of a Palestinian mother and kill her infant. The display used significant amounts of simulated blood, creating a visceral and disturbing scene that local observers described as crossing the line from political dissent into racial incitement.

Resurrection of Ancient Antisemitic Tropes

Ambassador Ziv Nevo Kulman characterized the performance as a blatant revival of the "blood libel," a medieval superstition that falsely accused Jewish people of ritualistic murder. In a public statement, Kulman argued that these centuries-old stereotypes have been modernly repackaged by activists who replace the word "Jew" with "Zionist" to bypass hate speech protections. The ambassador lamented that such displays are being tolerated under the guise of freedom of expression, asserting that the Swedish authorities are allowing the abuse of democratic principles to promote open hostility against a national minority.

Broadening Protests and Regional Tensions

The controversial staging occurred within the context of a larger demonstration against Israel’s ongoing military operations in Gaza and Lebanon. Protesters at the event, organized by several civil society groups, accused the Israeli government of violating various ceasefire agreements and pursuing aggressive annexation policies in the West Bank. Alongside the graphic reenactment, the crowd reportedly chanted slogans such as "Crush Zionism" and marched with banners highlighting the humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian territories, indicating a deepening level of animosity toward the current Israeli administration.