BackSweden recognizes Palestine in bid to spur conflict solution
Sweden announced a new 5-year plan to help Palestine, increasing bilateral aid to 1.5 billion kronor from 500 million kronor
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Stockholm: Sweden formally recognized the State of Palestine in a move the Nordic nation said will help spur a two-state solution to the conflict amid criticism from Israel.
“We want to help to provide fresh dynamism to a stalled peace process and we want to give our support to the moderate forces among the Palestinians who soon will have to sit down at the negotiation table," foreign minister Margot Wallstroem said at a press conference. “We also want to facilitate a deal by making the parties in these negotiations less unequal."
The move was flagged earlier this month by Prime Minister Stefan Loefven, whose minority government of Social Democrats and Greens won the 14 September election. He pledged in his government declaration on 3 October to recognize Palestine as its people have “legitimate demands for national sovereignty."
Sweden announced a new five-year plan to help Palestine, increasing bilateral aid to 1.5 billion kronor ($200 million) from 500 million kronor.
Sweden becomes the 135th nation to recognize Palestine, joining other European states such as Bulgaria, Cyprus, Hungary, Poland and Romania.
Palestinian authorities are seeking to increase pressure on Israel to negotiate an end to the conflict. In 2012, the General Assembly voted to recognize a de facto state of Palestine in the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza Strip.
Since then, US-backed peace talks have broken down and a 50-day conflict in Gaza left more than 2,100 Palestinians and 70 Israelis dead.
President Mahmoud Abbas welcomed Sweden’s decision, said Nabil Abu Rudeina, his spokesman, in a statement posted on the official Wafa news agency’s website.
“This decision is a message to Israel and its practices in response to the continued occupation of the land," he said. “We ask that the countries of the world follow Sweden’s example."
Loefven’s 3 October speech drew criticism from Israel, who also summoned the nation’s ambassador.
“Prime Minister Loefven needs to understand that no declaration or step by an external party can replace direct negotiations between the parties," Israeli foreign minister Avigdor Liberman said in a post on his Facebook page on 5 October. Blooomberg
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