Is Sweden Siding With Israel While The World Still Sings ‘Leve Palestina’?
The current popular Pro-Palestine chant ‘leve Palestina krossa sionismen’ a Swedish song by a Swedish-Palestinian band that means ‘liberate Palestine and crush Zionism’. The song which is sung by millions either in protests worldwide or used as an anthem all over social media hails Sweden as a European nation with a pro-Palestine sentiment, which is true of Sweden, especially after acknowledging Palestine as a state in October of 2014. However, does this ‘leve Palestina’ sentiment dissolves as soon as the complex stance of Sweden regarding the conflict unfolds?
After the October 7 attacks, something has changed. The country that is now governed by the right, has shown almost unwavering support for Israel. The last of evidence is that troubling, yet unsettled news, from Sweden’s Agency of Migration that claims to deport asylum Palestinians living in Sweden again to Gaza, since the situation is not life-threatening. The first of those pieces of evidence goes back to Sweden’s abstention from voting for a ceasefire at the UN assembly on October 28.
From October 7 until this moment, Sweden is adhering to a European Council conclusion drafted on October 27 that defines Al Qassam/Hamas as a terrorist group that uses civilians as human shields. The document says it “Reiterates its condemnation in the strongest possible terms of Hamas for its “brutal and indiscriminate terrorist attacks across Israel.”
Moreover, The European Council has strongly emphasized Israel’s right to defend itself In line with international humanitarian law. It reiterates its call on Hamas to immediately release all hostages without any precondition.
This problematizes Hamas’ attack as isolated from any previous Israeli attack on Gaza over the years, and looks at it as unjustified, or self-triggered.
Sweden also supports a two-state solution where Israel and Palestine can co-exist side by side. Its abstention from the October 28 vote for a ceasefire, which has been replaced with a positive vote in the December vote, was based on the premise that the resolution did not clearly condemn the “terrorist Hamas attacks” and did not mention Israel’s right to defend itself. According to Sweden’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
This comes in agreement with the ministry’s threat to deport ‘Pro-Hamas’ Palestinians in Sweden as the foreign affairs minister Maria Stenergard said Hamas supporters lose the right to be in Sweden if they celebrate the death of innocent people. Implies that there is such a thing as a not Pro Hamas Palestinian citizen, keeping in mind that Hamas/ Al Qassam is the official military group of Gaza.
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