Swedish Minister ‘Not Welcome in Israel’ after Comments

Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely said on January 13 that Wallstrom’s comments were a “bad combination of folly and diplomatic stupidity, and Israel will close its door to official visits from Sweden”. In the same period, 23 Israelis and a US citizen have been killed in knife, car-ramming, and shooting attacks by Palestinians.

“Wallstrom’s remarks show that she doesn’t understand what is taking place in our region and is apparently unaware of the harsh situation where Israelis are exposed to the perpetual dangers of murderous terror attacks”, Nahshon said.

“The response can not be … so that there are extrajudicial executions, or that it becomes disproportionate so the numbers of dead on the other side is greater than the original death toll by several factors”, she said.

Israeli MFA director general Dore Gold, who is now visiting the United States, told the American Jewish “Conference of Presidents” that “whomever attacks Israel on its right to defend itself against terror attacks is encouraging terror”. Most others were killed in clashes with security forces.

Jerusalem/Stockholm: Israel summoned the Swedish ambassador on Wednesday to convey what it described as its “rage” at a call by Stockholm’s top diplomat for an investigation to determine whether Israeli forces were guilty of extrajudicial killings of Palestinians.

“It is vital that there is a thorough, credible investigation into these deaths in order to clarify and bring about possible accountability”, Wallstrom said during a parliamentary debate, according to news agency TT.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry also spoke out against the Swedish FM’s statements, calling them “Irresponsible and ridiculous.

In light of the damaging and baseless positions of the Swedish minister, she has removed herself, and Sweden, in the near future, from any role – or any semblance of a role – in handling the relations between Israel and the Palestinians”.

Affable in person, Wallstrom has been accused of being too blunt and undiplomatic in her public comments.