Kurdish Man Attacked in Sweden for Supporting Israel

Wednesday, July 09, 2014 | Israel Today Staff

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A Kurdish man living in Malmö, Sweden was beaten and seriously injured this week by a gang of local Muslims who took offense at the Israeli flag displayed in his apartment window.

Ismail Aryan Babak told local media that he has had the Israeli flag and a Kurdish flag in his window for two years, but only recently faced trouble over his support for the Jewish state and his disdain for the Iranian regime.

Babak said that twice rocks were thrown through his windows. When he went down to the street after the last incident, he was confronted by at least 10 youths, most wielding iron rods and glass bottles. After demanding to know why he placed an Israeli flag in his window, the youths severely beat Babak.

Police are still searching for the suspects.

A fellow Kurd living in Sweden reached out to Israel Today, stressing that like Babak, he, too, views Israelis as “my brothers. I regard them as important as my own people.”

Identifying himself as Hajir, this brave young man said it is important for Israelis to know that “we support them. Today, I am going to hang an Israeli flag in my window. I am risking my life in doing so, but it is for a greater cause.”

There is growing speculation that the current unrest across the Middle East could result in the Kurds of northern Syria and Iraq finally establishing a sovereign state of their own. That prospect is very appealing to Israel, as most Kurds, like these two men in Sweden, are friendly toward Israel, and a Kurdish state would certainly be an ally.

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Wednesday, July 9, 2014