Donald Boström
Encyclopedia
Carl Donald Boström is a Swedish
journalist
, photographer and writer
. He is best known for his writings and photography relating to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. He has also authored several cookbook
s.
published an article by Boström, ”Våra söner plundras på sina organ” ("Our sons are plundered of their organs"), retelling rumors that Israel
where stealing organs
from Palestinians that died in custody. Boström mentioned that the autopsies where performed at the Abu Kabir Forensic Institute
, an institute whose chief pathologist, Yehuda Hiss
, admitted to organ theft in 2005 from 125 bodies. As a background Boström mentioned the charges against Levy Izhak Rosenbaum of Brooklyn
, arrested as part of Operation Bid Rig
for conspiring to arrange the sale of an Israeli citizen's kidney for $160,000. The article prompted outrage in Israel, with accusations that the claims were anti-Semitic and represented a Blood libel against Jews, and set off a diplomatic row between the Israeli and Swedish governments.
According to Yossi Klein Halevi, writing in the The New Republic
, Donald Boström would have readily admitted that he has no proof the accusations are true and the Palestinians he quoted in his article would have since denied making those accusations.
Matthew Cassel wrote on his part in the pro-Palestinian Electronic Intifada
that "Baseless organ theft accusations are a propaganda gift for Israel, and deflect attention from its well-documented war crimes in the West Bank and Gaza Strip".
Lena Posner-Korosi, leader of Sweden's Jewish community
, criticized Israel's official response to this article, stating in an interview with the Israeli army radio that the Israeli reaction and media outrage had provided the claims with much more exposure than they would have had otherwise, and blown the story out of proportion
Boström never claimed to have proven anything in his article. In an interview with Haaretz
on November 4, 2009, Bostrom stated "I have no proof the IDF harvests Palestinians' organs."
reported that Bostrom's 2001 book Inshallah, which deals with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and reportedly included the allegations of organ harvesting relating to the Abu Kabir Forensic Institute
, was financed - among other bodies - by the Swedish Foreign Ministry.
Boström received the 2007 KW Gullers stipendium (scholarship) from the Nordic Museum
in honor of the late Swedish photographer K.W. Gullers.
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
, photographer and writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
. He is best known for his writings and photography relating to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. He has also authored several cookbook
Cookbook
A cookbook is a kitchen reference that typically contains a collection of recipes. Modern versions may also include colorful illustrations and advice on purchasing quality ingredients or making substitutions...
s.
2009 article on organ trafficking
On 17 August 2009 the tabloid AftonbladetAftonbladet
Aftonbladet is a Swedish tabloid founded by Lars Johan Hierta in 1830 during the modernization of Sweden. It is one of the larger daily newspapers in the Nordic countries. Aftonbladet is owned by the Swedish Trade Union Confederation and Norwegian media group Schibsted, and its editorial page...
published an article by Boström, ”Våra söner plundras på sina organ” ("Our sons are plundered of their organs"), retelling rumors that Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
where stealing organs
Organ theft
Organ harvesting refers to the removal, preservation and use of human organs and tissue from the bodies of the recently deceased to be used in surgical transplants on the living...
from Palestinians that died in custody. Boström mentioned that the autopsies where performed at the Abu Kabir Forensic Institute
Abu Kabir Forensic Institute
L. Greenberg National Institute of Forensic Medicine also known as Abu Kabir Forensic Institute, is an Israeli forensic research laboratory located in the Abu Kabir neighborhood of Tel Aviv, Israel.-History:...
, an institute whose chief pathologist, Yehuda Hiss
Yehuda Hiss
Yehuda Hiss is the chief pathologist at the Abu Kabir Institute of Forensic Medicine and has held this position since 1988...
, admitted to organ theft in 2005 from 125 bodies. As a background Boström mentioned the charges against Levy Izhak Rosenbaum of Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, arrested as part of Operation Bid Rig
Operation Bid Rig
Operation Bid Rig is an ongoing, long-term investigation into political corruption in New Jersey conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service, and the United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey since 2002...
for conspiring to arrange the sale of an Israeli citizen's kidney for $160,000. The article prompted outrage in Israel, with accusations that the claims were anti-Semitic and represented a Blood libel against Jews, and set off a diplomatic row between the Israeli and Swedish governments.
According to Yossi Klein Halevi, writing in the The New Republic
The New Republic
The magazine has also published two articles concerning income inequality, largely criticizing conservative economists for their attempts to deny the existence or negative effect increasing income inequality is having on the United States...
, Donald Boström would have readily admitted that he has no proof the accusations are true and the Palestinians he quoted in his article would have since denied making those accusations.
Matthew Cassel wrote on his part in the pro-Palestinian Electronic Intifada
Electronic Intifada
The Electronic Intifada is a not-for-profit, independent online publication which covers the Israeli-Palestinian conflict from a Palestinian perspective, "aimed at combating the pro-Israeli, pro-American spin" its editors believe exists in mainstream media accounts.-History:EI was founded by Ali...
that "Baseless organ theft accusations are a propaganda gift for Israel, and deflect attention from its well-documented war crimes in the West Bank and Gaza Strip".
Lena Posner-Korosi, leader of Sweden's Jewish community
History of the Jews in Sweden
The History of the Jews in Sweden probably began with arrivals from the Hanseatic League in medieval times, but there are no records. In Elizabethan times it was common for European royalty to have Jewish doctors at court, and there is a record of a Jewish doctor who served Gustav Vasa in the 16th...
, criticized Israel's official response to this article, stating in an interview with the Israeli army radio that the Israeli reaction and media outrage had provided the claims with much more exposure than they would have had otherwise, and blown the story out of proportion
Boström never claimed to have proven anything in his article. In an interview with Haaretz
Haaretz
Haaretz is Israel's oldest daily newspaper. It was founded in 1918 and is now published in both Hebrew and English in Berliner format. The English edition is published and sold together with the International Herald Tribune. Both Hebrew and English editions can be read on the Internet...
on November 4, 2009, Bostrom stated "I have no proof the IDF harvests Palestinians' organs."
Financing
Israeli daily Ma'arivMaariv
Maariv is a Hebrew language daily newspaper published in Israel. It is second in sales after Yedioth Ahronoth and third in readership after Yedioth Ahronoth and Israel HaYom. In a TGI survey comparing the last half of 2009 with the same period in 2008, Maariv saw its market share fall slightly...
reported that Bostrom's 2001 book Inshallah, which deals with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and reportedly included the allegations of organ harvesting relating to the Abu Kabir Forensic Institute
Abu Kabir Forensic Institute
L. Greenberg National Institute of Forensic Medicine also known as Abu Kabir Forensic Institute, is an Israeli forensic research laboratory located in the Abu Kabir neighborhood of Tel Aviv, Israel.-History:...
, was financed - among other bodies - by the Swedish Foreign Ministry.
Boström received the 2007 KW Gullers stipendium (scholarship) from the Nordic Museum
Nordic Museum
The Nordic Museum is a museum located on Djurgården, an island in central Stockholm, Sweden, dedicated to the cultural history and ethnography of Sweden from the Early Modern age until the contemporary period...
in honor of the late Swedish photographer K.W. Gullers.