Despite the fact that according to a survey commissioned by the Swedish public television, a majority of Swedish people support a ban on public burning of religious texts.

Despite the fact that a majority of Swedish people support a ban on the public burning of religious texts such as the Quran or the Bible, according to a survey conducted on behalf of the public national television broadcaster,  Swedish police on Friday approved a request to hold a public demonstration during which a Jewish Bible will be burnt in front of the Israeli embassy. 

According to Swedish media, the burning will take place on Saturday outside the embassy in Stockholm. Previous reports said that a man in his 30s is behind the request.

He stated that this act is a response to the Quran burning outside Stockholm’s mosque in June and “a symbolic gathering for the sake of freedom of expression.”

The burning of the Quran sparked fury in the Muslim world.

Israel’s Ambassador to Sweden Ziv Nevo Kulman expressed his dismay over the fact Stockholm gave the request tob urn a Bible a green light.

“I utterly condemn the burning of holy books sacred to any religion, as an act of hate and disrespect, that has nothing to do with freedom of expression,” he tweeted.

An Israeli foreign ministry official told the Kan public broadcaster that the ministry and embassy are working to prevent the “shameful act.”

Israel’s Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi David Lau sent a letter to Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson urging him to stop the desecration. “I call on you to do everything possible to prevent this act. Freedom of expression does not mean permitting everything,” Lau wrote.

The chairman of the Brussels-based European Jewish Association (EJA), Rabbi Menachem Margolin has expressed his disgust at the intention to desecrate sacred books, whether it is the Bible or books that are dear to believers of other religions.  “A country that is supposed to be enlightened and boasts of liberalism, pluralism and inclusion should know better. Burning books, for Jews, sends shudders down the spine, a vivid reminder of Europe’s darkest days.”

”The right to freedom and protest is an important right, but it must end exactly at the point where it infringes on the other’s right – to his faith and traditions. I call on the Swedish authorities to reconsider the horrific performance planned there,” he added.

Sweden’s justice minister has said his government may be open to amending a protest law, after the public burning of a Quran in Stockholm last month sparked fury across the Muslim world.

Gunnar Strömmer told Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet the incident and others like it have helped make Sweden a target for jihadist violence.

“We have seen arrests in Sweden on suspicion of preparation for a terrorist offence,” he said. “There have been arrests in Germany on suspicion of preparation for a terrorist offence against Sweden in the light of this. We can also see that the burning of the Quran last week has generated threats to our internal security,” he added.