Week 41: Debate on Sweden's recognition of Palestine

Den latest of the time The development of violence in Israel and Palestine has probably not gone unnoticed. Israel has declared war on the terrorist organization Hamas and thousands of civilian lives have been claimed on both sides. On Swedish debate- and leader pager have debates above all shopped om Sweden's aid to Palestine and om Sweden should dra back his seat recognition of Palestine or not.

Last week, the Tidö parties announced that Sweden pauses development aid to Palestine. The decision was justified by the fact that the Palestinian leadership has not condemned Hamas' terrorist attacks. The humanitarian aid remains, however, and Sida has been tasked with conducting a review of the aid.

Dagens Nyheter's lead writer Susanne Nyström is one of those who think it unfortunate to withdraw the aid, especially before the review is done. She believes that it is one thing to cancel individual projects that risk supporting terrorism, but that the withdrawal of support to civil society organizations may ultimately benefit Hamas instead.

- In our quest to stop Hamas, we must not sacrifice the Palestinian people, she writes Dagens Nyheter.

The Sweden Democrats' Jimmie Åkesson and Aron Emilsson, on the other hand, write in Svenska Dagbladet that it is not enough to withdraw aid to Palestine. They also believe that Sweden should withdraw the recognition of Palestine. SD is not alone in these views.

- Terror supporters cannot go to meetings - Sweden must now revoke the recognition of Palestine, withdraw aid, open arms exports to Israel and send the Palestinian "ambassador" home, writes Joar Forssell, the Liberals' foreign policy spokesperson, in Aftonbladet.

After the Hamas attacks last weekend doesn't KD, L and SD withdraw recognition of Palestine. Foreign Minister Tobias Billström (M) has so far resisted these demands when he means that foreign policy must be reasonably consistent "if we want to have credibility in our contacts with the outside world".

Human rights expert Ove Bring is one of several who support the foreign minister and believes that the proposal for a Swedish withdrawal of the recognition of Palestine is misguided. He writes in Dagens Nyheter that the State of Palestine should not be punished for the actions of Hamas. He also writes that Sweden asserts the so-called principle of universality when electing new states to the UN, that is to say that even "rogue states" must be included in the international community in order to be influenced by negotiations and proposals.