Week 21: Arrest warrants against Hamas and Israel's leaders are both welcomed and criticized

The announcement that the ICC's chief prosecutor wants to issue an arrest warrant against leading men from both Israel and Hamas has sparked reactions on Swedish opinion pages over the past week. Pictured (left): Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Pictured (right): Hamas supreme leader Yahya Sinwar. Source: Flickr.

Of: Fatima Shek Behi

Last week, the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Karim Khan, announced that he wants to issue a arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the country's defense minister, as well as three senior Hamas leaders. The message has been both welcomed and criticized on Swedish debate and editorial pages.  

May 27, 2024, Current debate

A year of war in Sudan: "A crisis that receives too little international attention"

Love-Lis Liljeström works for the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Sudan. After more than a year of war, she hopes that the situation in Sudan and the widespread humanitarian crisis will receive more attention both in Sweden and globally. Photo (left): Tosco Diaz/Flickr. Photo (right): Love-Lis Liljeström.

Of: Fatima Shek Behi

On April 15 this year, it was one year since the war in Sudan broke out. Several UN employees believe that the crisis in Sudan is a forgotten conflict, which is overshadowed by other conflicts in the world. Now the UN is warning that a humanitarian tragedy is unfolding in Sudan due to the lack of attention from the outside world.   - After a year of war, my hope is that the suffering in Sudan is given more attention, so that more aid can reach those in need and the foundations can be laid for a peaceful future, says Love-Lis Liljeström, program manager at UNDP in Sudan 

April 25, 2024, Reportage

Week 16: Demand for a written no against nuclear weapons on Swedish soil in military agreements

Several debaters are worried that the DCA military agreement between Sweden and the USA could, among other things, enable nuclear weapons on Swedish soil. Photo: NATO. Source: Flickr.

Of: Fatima Shek Behi

A proposal for the bilateral military agreement is due in May Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA) between Sweden and the USA is submitted to the Riksdag. This has created debate over the past week, as several debaters believe that there is no guarantee in the agreement that excludes nuclear weapons in Sweden. Swedish government representatives, on the other hand, believe that the agreement will not lead to nuclear weapons or permanent foreign bases on Swedish territory.  

April 22, 2024, Current debate

Week 10: Debaters welcome Sweden's NATO entry

Sweden is now a member of the NATO military alliance. This has been welcomed by most debaters on Swedish opinion pages. Pictured: Ulf Kristersson (M), Prime Minister of Sweden, and Jens Stoltenberg, Secretary General of NATO. Photo: NATO. Source: Flickr.

Of: Fatima Shek Behi

On March 7, 2024, Sweden became a full member of NATO, two years after the application process began following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. NATO entry has dominated the debate and editorial pages for the past week, with a clear majority welcoming membership of the military alliance.  

March 11, 2024, Current debate