Israeli PM praises ambassador for vandalism

Sharon says government stands behind Stockholm incident

Bertil Ericson / Pressens Bild via AP

Gunilla Skoeld Feiler, left, and Dror Feiler stand behind their restored art installation, 'Snow White and the Madness of Truth,' at the courtyard of the Museum of National Antiquities in Stockholm, Sweden, on Saturday.

Top video from around the world

Tensions on the rise in Iran
The Iranian government is squaring off with the opposition for what could build into a major confrontation by Thursday, the anniversary of the revolution. NBC's Brian Williams reports.

Iran increases uranium enrichment

Quake survivor buried for 27 days

Rescued Haiti quake victim recalls song of survival

Helping Haiti with food and clean water

ENCARTA

ISRAEL: Maps, facts and figures

updated 9:17 a.m. ET Jan. 18, 2004

JERUSALEM - Prime Minister Ariel Sharon Sunday praised the Israeli ambassador to Sweden for vandalizing a Stockholm art exhibit that allegedly glorifies Palestinian suicide bombers, saying the "entire government stands behind him."

A security camera Friday captured Israeli ambassador to Sweden Zvi Mazel throwing a mounted spotlight at the exhibit in Stockholm's Museum of National Antiquities.

Titled "Snow White and the Madness of Truth," the exhibit consisted of a small ship carrying a picture of Islamic Jihad bomber Hanadi Jaradat sailing in a rectangular pool filled with red-colored water. Jaradat killed herself and 21 bystanders in an Oct. 4 suicide bombing in Haifa, Israel.

Story continues below ↓

advertisement | your ad here

Sharon expressed unreserved support for the ambassador's action.

"I called our ambassador in Sweden Zvi Mazel last night and thanked him for his strength in dealing with increasing anti-Semitism, and told him that the entire government stands behind him," he told a cabinet meeting Sunday.

"I think Ambassador Mazel behaved in an appropriate way," he added. "I think the phenomenon (of anti-Semitism) is so serious that it would have been forbidden not to have acted on the spot."

Dror Feiler, the Israeli-born artist who created "Snow White and the Madness of Truth," said it was supposed to call attention to how weak, lonely people can be capable of horrible things.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry said Sunday it was summoning the Swedish ambassador in Israel to protest the display of Feiler's piece.

Mazel was also being summoned to the Foreign Ministry in Stockholm to explain his action.