Reykjavik “a volcano of hate”

“A volcano of hate is currently exploding in Reykjavik’s city council building,” according to Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Emanuel Nachson, in reference to the city’s recent decision to boycott Israeli products.

A news item on English-language Israeli news website Haaretz reports the details of the decision – “a symbolic act intended to show the city council’s support for the Palestinian statehood and its condemnation of the Israeli policy of apartheid” and intended to last “as long as the occupation of Palestinian territories continues”.

Nachson is reported as saying: “A volcano of hate is currently exploding in Reykjavik’s city council building. There is no reason or justification for this move, besides hate itself, which is being heard in the form of calls for a boycott against Israel, the Jewish state.”

“We hope that someone in Iceland will wake up and stop this blindness and one-sidedness which is aimed against the only democracy in the Middle East, Israel.”

Few indifferent about the decision

Negative reactions to the move have also been predominant on Iceland Monitor’s Facebook page, where news of the Reykjavik City Council decision was posted yesterday.

“I now boycott Iceland products. Sorry and good-bye,” is one concise response from a concerned reader.

Other negative reactions include:

• “Sad to hear this, Iceland has lost friends because of the personal feelings of a liberal council person. Ridiculous stand.”
• “Organizing an anti-Iceland boycott here in the US.”
• “Looks like we will be boycotting Iceland. Shame on you.”
• “I have been to Iceland 12 times. Tolerant easy-going people. Now I realize they are prejudiced, ignorant people so I will not be returning. Cancelled my annual trip 15 minutes ago. Such a shame. I thought they were intelligent as well as educated.”
• “I was born in Keflavik, Iceland. I am embarrassed by Iceland’s extremely poor judgment. Shame on them.”