Response to interpellation 2024/25:650 on the government's actions regarding Gaza

Utrikesministern Maria Malmer Stenergard (M)

Mr. Speaker! Ola Möller has asked me what measures I and the government intend to take to stop Israel's planned occupation of Gaza and the stated ambition to displace the Palestinian people from there.

What is unfolding before our eyes is the worst humanitarian situation since the start of the war in October 2023. That no humanitarian aid has been let in for more than two months is unacceptable. Sweden has in conversations with Israel's government repeatedly demanded that humanitarian access be ensured. We view very seriously that our and others' appeals are not being heeded. Humanitarian aid must follow the humanitarian principles and must never be used as a political or military means of pressure.

The government, and the EU, stand firm that Gaza's territory must not be reduced or altered. We also emphasize that Israel's military strategy must comply with international law, including international humanitarian law, which aims to avoid the death and suffering of the civilian population to the greatest extent possible. Israel's announced plans for an expanded military offensive in Gaza appear increasingly incompatible with the requirements of international law.

A permanent displacement of Gaza's population would violate international law and is something that we clearly oppose.

The Government supports discussions on what further measures the EU can take to influence the appalling situation for the civilian population in Gaza.

The terrorist organization Hamas's responsibility for the current situation weighs heavily. The government continues to demand that all remaining hostages be released – immediately and unconditionally.

A return to a ceasefire and a lasting end to the hostilities is needed, which in the long run leads to a negotiated two-state solution where Israel and Palestine can live side by side in peace and security.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Ola Möller (S)

Mr. Speaker! I must begin by thanking the Minister for Foreign Affairs for the answer.

Then I would like to welcome her into reality, because it almost seems as if the minister has woken up from a dream and discovered that what in my eyes is a genocide is taking place. Furthermore, it is no longer just in my eyes – in recent days, Slovenia's president Nataša Pirc Musar stood before the European Parliament and spoke out.

It was not a day too early, I would say, but rather far too late. But it was obviously incredibly brave. She demonstrated right then and there what countries like Spain, Ireland, and Norway have already shown, namely that individual countries – whether they are in the EU or not – can make a difference. One can take a stand, and one must also do so if one is to have any shred of justification and decency left in this issue.

Here in Sweden, we have a government that has talked, talked, and talked.

At first it was called proportionate; then it was self-defense. After bombings of hospitals, schools, tent camps, water supply, and ambulances, it was wrinkled a little. When the ICJ spoke with all desirable clarity, it muttered a little about respect for the court. We did not get any straight answers to questions on whether one would hand over criminals.

When rescue workers were executed, Mr. Speaker, and placed in mass graves, it began to get restless. When the ceasefire was broken by Israel and the plan for the hostages to actually be released would be realized – the living hostage in the second part – one was seized by panic, for then that plan would fall through.

Since starvation has been used as a method to weaken, displace, and murder the Palestinian people – then the minister woke up and realized that almost every decision the government has made so far on this issue has turned out to be wrong.

The Minister now says that she wants to investigate, review and look at whether one could possibly consider perhaps pausing the trade agreement with Israel. Perhaps it is necessary to introduce sanctions against some Israeli ministers?

I thought I would help the minister on the fly and read what is written in Article 2 of the association agreement, translated into Swedish: The relations between the parties, as well as all provisions in the agreement itself, shall be based on respect for human rights and democratic principles, which guide their, i.e., the parties', internal and international policies and constitute an essential element in this agreement.

Mr. Speaker! It is not possible to interpret this in any other way in light of what is happening in Gaza and in the West Bank than that Israel is violating the agreement. This has been known for a long time. We have seen it for a long time. To then pause, break, terminate or stop the agreement is hardly something that needs to be investigated. It must be done, and it should have been done much longer ago.

My question is: What in the whole world is the minister waiting for? What else does the minister need to see in order to truly wake up and realize what she is actually a part of now?

(Applause)

In this speech, Johan Büser (S) concurred.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Alexandra Völker (S)

Mr. Speaker! The only thing children see coming into Gaza are bombs and missiles. That is how UNICEF's spokesperson expresses it. Representatives for the UN simultaneously accuse Israel of using hunger as a weapon, which is a violation of international law.

The terrorist attack on October 7 was horrific and unacceptable. The hostages must be released. On that, we are in complete agreement.

Mr. Speaker! What we are seeing happening in Gaza is so horrific that words are no longer sufficient. 2 million people are locked in an area approximately the same size as Surahammar Municipality. At the same time, the bombs are falling, and food, water, and medicines are not being let in. After ten weeks, a number of trucks were finally let in during the week, but it is a drop in the ocean compared to the needs.

The Israeli government bears responsibility for this situation. It was they who broke the ceasefire. It was Israel that adopted laws to prevent UNRWA from operating. UNRWA is vital for the aid to reach all the way through. It is an active decision not to let in food, medicine, and other necessary aid and not to let in all the trucks that are standing ready on the other side of the border. It is an active decision to repeatedly deny visas to foreign aid workers and not to let in journalists. It is an active decision to now expand the military offensive and plan for forced displacements.

We must now act with all the means we have. No more should have to die. The trade agreement is our strongest tool; it is the EU's strongest tool. That is why we, at EU Committee meeting after EU Committee meeting, have demanded that the Swedish government should work to have the EU freeze the trade agreement. One year later, the government has now finally stood behind a review of the association agreement. That is good, but it is too little and too late.

Therefore, my question to the Minister for Foreign Affairs is: Is the Minister for Foreign Affairs now prepared to work to have the trade agreement frozen here and now?

(Applause)

In this speech, Johan Büser (S) concurred.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Johan Büser (S)

Mr. Speaker! Over 50,000 people are dead. UN buildings are being bombed, hospitals are being destroyed, aid workers are being killed, food and water are being blocked, and children are starving to death. This is not just a war; it is a violation of international law in real time. These are the worst war crimes we have seen since the Second World War.

The International Court of Justice has established that the occupation is illegal. The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant against Israel's Prime Minister Netanyahu, and the international community must act.

What does the Swedish government do then? Well, it freezes the support to UNRWA. It refuses to stand behind several European countries' demands to freeze the EU's trade agreement with Israel. It says no to stopping imports from occupied territory, while wine from there has been served within the Government Offices.

Mr. Speaker! UNRWA is the only organization that has the capacity to reach Gaza. During the ceasefire last winter, they managed to vaccinate 200,000 children, provide half a million people with clean water, and provide care to over 350,000 Gazans. Sida has assessed that no other actor can replace UNRWA. That is what the UN Secretary-General says. That is what EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas says. That is what the Red Cross, Save the Children, and Médecins Sans Frontières say.

Despite this, the government continues to assert, most recently in Rapport this evening via Minister for Development Cooperation Dousa, that others can fill the vacuum and that UNRWA is an unsuitable organization due to questionable textbooks and links to Hamas. Sweden is now the only country in the EU that does not support UNRWA. The EU's foreign policy chief has warned against spreading disinformation about UNRWA, similar to that which Dousa is now spreading.

This is a sham to further Israel's agenda, and we regret that the government is doing this. There are many of us in Sweden who are actually ashamed of this.

Mr. Speaker! The humanitarian principles are also clear when it comes to aid. It should be guided by need, not by politics. Aid should be based on impartiality, efficiency, and professional assessments. But what is happening now means that our Swedish government is departing from those principles. When Sida's humanitarian experts, with full insight into the situation in Gaza, recommend that the support to UNRWA should be resumed, the government chooses to say no. When Sida's own Director-General is asked why, he answers: We are guided by the government.

This is a clear example of political steering of humanitarian aid, and it represents a direct departure from the principles that Sweden has for a long time promised to stand up for.

Mr. Speaker! I ask myself: How can the government, with a clear conscience, condemn Russia's crimes in Ukraine but not act with full force for the starving children in Palestine?

International law must apply everywhere, not just where it is convenient. Many of us here in the chamber and among the Swedish people demand that Sweden resumes support for UNRWA, acts for an immediate ceasefire, establishes that the blockade must end, and supports concrete sanctions against the occupation.

This is not about choosing a side in a conflict. It is about choosing the side of international law, of human dignity, and of life. To be human is to see oneself in one's neighbor.

(Applause)

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Daniel Vencu Velasquez Castro (S)

Mr. Speaker! There is a terrible darkness in the world when so many children die and many rulers and politicians just shrug their shoulders.

For us Social Democrats, it has always been self-evident to stand up for a rules-based world order where no one is killed, denied their human rights, or forced to live under occupation.

For decades, these basic rights have been denied to the Palestinian people. Israel's illegal occupation has continued for decades, Gaza has been transformed into an open-air prison ruled by Islamist terrorists, and Palestinian children have been imprisoned or murdered.

No one can say "we didn't know." The world cannot look away, because this is happening right before our eyes. But for the government, it appears as if they are taking part of new assignments despite the fact that this crime against humanity has been committed for years.

Mr. Speaker! A year ago, we had a debate in the chamber where I and several of my party colleagues pleaded with the Swedish government and the then Foreign Minister Tobias Billström to condemn Israel's warfare and push to freeze the association agreement between the EU and Israel. We also demanded that the EU should impose sharp sanctions against settlers and Israeli ministers.

For decades we have pleaded with the rest of the world to take a clear stand against Israel's illegal occupation and violations of international law, but in vain. This has continued, and the world's silence as well.

The war's many-year history speaks for itself. The Palestinians are those who have most had to endure. They have lived under occupation, and the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank has not been given full opportunities to function as a state. Israel bears a great debt for all of this. But even Israeli citizens have had to endure when Hamas has carried out horrific terror attacks on civilians. It is extremists who fight against each other and who hold people who long for peace hostage.

In Gaza, Israel violates international law almost daily. Hospitals are bombed, and humanitarian aid is prevented from entering. These occurrences are not new, but they have occurred right before the eyes of the Swedish government since this terrible war broke out. The government has betrayed its promise to safeguard international law and international humanitarian law, which harms Sweden.

Mr. Speaker! International law is our first line of defense. When it is violated, it is a threat to all states, but above all to small states like Sweden. When it is violated and we do not mark our position clearly, we accept a world where foreign policy is transformed into an anarchic arena.

It is impossible to ignore the indifference the government displays when it comes to Palestinian lives. It becomes particularly clear when Sweden, as the only EU country, blocks aid to the largest aid organization in Gaza. In a newspaper article, the Foreign Minister says that the demands on her seem to be about which words she chooses to use. But it is not just about words, but about how the Foreign Minister chooses to act.

We demand that the government summons the Israeli ambassador and presents its condemnations and that sharp sanctions must be directed against Israeli ministers. One must also prevent the displacement of Palestinians, push for the issue of freezing the EU's trade agreement with Israel and resume support to UNRWA.

The government has a responsibility to stand up for international law in words and deeds. The occupation must come to an end. Palestinians also deserve peace, justice, and security.

(Applause)

In this speech, Johan Büser (S) concurred.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Arber Gashi (S)

Mr. Speaker! Since October 7, 2023, the world has witnessed a humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza with repeated violations of international law and humanity. Over 50,000 people have been murdered, but I do not intend to stand here and rattle off the statistics we all know so well. But the UN warned this week that at least 14,000 infants are at risk of dying within the next few days if aid does not arrive immediately. Everyone who has ever held an infant in their arms knows how innocent children are and quickly realizes that an infant who dies is one too many.

Children are drinking saltwater for lack of anything else. What are they to do when there is no alternative? Almost 30 children have died in the last few days due to starvation, and the severe famine in Gaza is a direct consequence of Israel's extensive restrictions on humanitarian aid.

In this critical situation, Sweden's government, led by the Moderaterna, as the only government in the EU, has chosen to withdraw support for UNRWA, which is the UN organization most capable of delivering humanitarian aid in Gaza, according to all assessments and according to all other governments in the EU.

Mr. Speaker! It is the Moderates and the other government parties who bear the responsibility for how Sweden acts in its foreign and aid policy.

What is the track record of the government parties regarding Gaza?

In the European Parliament, the Moderates have many times shown where they stand on the issue of Gaza. They have voted against that Israel's response to Hamas should follow international law, against condemning the blockade of food, water, and electricity to Gaza, and against freezing the trade agreement with Israel as a reaction to the abuses.

In the autumn, Sweden voted, unlike among others France, Spain, Finland and Norway, against the UN resolution to stop arms exports to Israel and trade with goods from occupied territories.

When information arrived that Israeli forces had executed 15 healthcare workers and rescue workers, whose bodies were later found in a mass grave still dressed in their work uniforms, Foreign Minister Malmer Stenergard chose to visit Israel. The visit was warmly welcomed by Israel's Foreign Minister who, after the visit, wrote on X that the dialogue and the relationship between Israel and Sweden is becoming better and better. He also praised Sweden and the Foreign Minister for the important decision to stop the contribution to UNRWA.

It is a directly embarrassing CV that the government parties, with the Moderates at the forefront, have to show when it comes to Gaza.

But now the government is also waking up – after 500 days of repeated war crimes. The government now condemns Netanyahu's latest statement. One does not condemn the war, not the blockade and not the executions. One only condemns the specific words that Israel intends to take over all of Gaza.

It is a welcome condemnation, but the credibility is blown away. It is as if the government is looking for the least controversial way to speak out without actually taking a stand against what is actually happening. It is a selective and weak condemnation. It is so flimsy that it echoes hollowly.

When the Foreign Minister finally mentions sanctions, which the Social Democrats and many Swedes have been calling for, they do not apply to the state of Israel, not to the occupation and not to the bombings. They only apply to some of the most extreme ministers in the Israeli government.

This is not courage. It is not a foreign policy with a backbone. It is cowardice in a time that demands clear language. We want more from the Swedish government.

(Applause)

In this speech, Johan Büser (S) concurred.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Magdalena Thuresson (M)

Mr. Speaker! It is difficult to find sufficiently strong words to describe the humanitarian situation for the civilian population in Gaza, but if I must try, I say completely catastrophic.

The international community must put heavy pressure on Israel, and I return to that. But the international community must also put heavy pressure on Hamas. It was Hamas that started the war, and the responsibility for the current situation rests heavily on Hamas. The war can be ended immediately if Hamas lays down its weapons and releases the hostages.

Mr. Speaker! There is an undertone that the government would be indifferent to the catastrophe we are seeing. It is a rhetoric that I strongly distance myself from. The government has repeatedly expressed its deep concern and dismay over the enormous suffering the civilian population in Gaza endures and consistently underlined that Israel's defense must take place within the framework of international law. International law applies always and everywhere, without exception.

We have a responsibility to act to prevent the humanitarian catastrophe we are now seeing. The acute shortage of food, water, medicine, and shelter is completely devastating and requires immediate action to prevent more death and distress.

We can now see that Israel has to some extent taken the pressure from the rest of the world to heart and started letting in some emergency aid, but far from enough. Sweden and the rest of the world need to increase the pressure on Israel to secure unhindered humanitarian access.

Mr. Speaker! Let me say a few words about the picture being painted that UNRWA is the only organization that can deliver humanitarian aid in Gaza. I listened yesterday on Studio Ett, which was hosted by Carl Skau, deputy chief of the UN's World Food Programme. He spoke about the World Food Programme's impressive operations in Gaza and was very clear: That they have the capacity to deliver is beyond doubt.

He also said that the World Food Programme has thousands of tons of food at the border and that they can scale up their operations if they are offered the opportunities to do so. He also naturally pleaded for the world's continued pressure on Israel to let in emergency aid and noted that many more trucks and access to the entire Gaza were needed.

Sweden is one of the countries that provides the most humanitarian aid to Gaza, through among others the World Food Programme. I assume that there will be total agreement that Sweden shall continue to be a major donor of humanitarian aid. The primary focus right now must be to ensure that the humanitarian aid reaches the civilian population.

Mr. Speaker! At the same time as we do everything to get emergency aid to the civilian population in Gaza and work in all diplomatic contacts and multilateral organizations to end the war, it must also be reminded that people are still being held as hostages. The hostages must be released unconditionally. I heard a Social Democrat mention this in their contribution. We all need to repeat this demand.

To prevent a humanitarian catastrophe, the world's pressure on Israel and Hamas needs to increase.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Louise Thunström (S)

Mr. Speaker! I want to start by thanking Ola Möller for raising this extremely important interpellation here today and for the commitment he has also previously shown for the people in Gaza. Likewise, I honor the work that my other party colleagues do week after week here in the chamber, in the Committee on Foreign Affairs and in the EU Committee to urge the government to act.

I have chosen to participate in this debate for all the hundreds of thousands of Swedes who suffer with the population in Gaza and who despairingly see what is happening. I am here for the helplessness, anger, and sorrow that they feel and that I share.

"During the war, I was so happy when she was born. She was a little miracle. But I could not give her food. I could not protect her." These words come from Aya, mother of little Jinan who died of malnutrition, only four months old.

As a mother, as a woman and as a fellow human being – my heart breaks. The situation in Gaza is beyond everything, just everything. It is a complete moral and humanitarian collapse, a breakdown of the international framework we have jointly built up over decades regarding human rights, respect for human dignity, the laws of war and international law.

Gaza is a death camp. Bombing continues around the clock. Nowhere else have so many bombs been dropped during the 2000s, and Israel has now launched a ground offensive with the aim of taking over the entire Gaza Strip. Israel's government speaks openly about displacement and ethnic cleansing. This violates all UN resolutions that have been adopted.

Parents hear their children crying under the rubble without being able to do anything. So far, it has been confirmed that over 18,000 children lost their lives, and those who survived the bombings but were severely injured have had to undergo surgery and amputations without anesthesia. How is that even possible?

For two months, trucks filled with food and medicine have been denied entry to Gaza. There is now an acute famine. Families are starving while the food is stuck at the border. Only recently, following international pressure, was a limited number of trucks allowed to pass, but this is interpreted by many as a sham maneuver, not as a genuine humanitarian commitment.

Johan von Schreeb, professor of global disaster medicine, expresses that Israel has taken a stranglehold on 2 million people who already cannot breathe.

Sweden's voice has been all too weak. The Foreign Minister's words – we are Israel's friends, but we view this very seriously – are nothing more than a politically risk-free statement that neither touches nor influences.

I am disappointed that Sweden's government has not acted and has not spoken louder and more clearly to put a stop to this madness. There must be an immediate ceasefire. Food, medicine, and supplies must get in. Sweden is now the only country in the EU that does not provide support to UNRWA, which is the organization that can work best on the ground.

My question and plea to the Minister for Foreign Affairs is whether she and Sweden's government from now on are prepared to do everything they can and everything that is required for international law, for humanity, for morality and for the children, and if the government is willing to resume support for UNRWA and also push for a freezing of the trade agreement.

(Applause)

In this speech, Johan Büser (S) agreed.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Jamal El-Haj (-)

Mr. Speaker! I have written a short story for this very debate and for those who do not understand or still doubt. The short story is called The Giant and the Farm:

Far beyond time and space, where the landscapes lay in eternal greenery, wandered a giant without a home. He was tired, worn by the world's harshness, and carried his sorrows like stones in his chest. One day he came to a place so beautiful that time itself seemed to stand still – a farm where the trees bowed with olives and figs. There lived a man, called Bonde, together with his family.

The giant stopped at the gatepost and said: ”What a home you have. The trees sing, and the earth breathes peace. It is as if paradise itself lives here.” The farmer smiled, moved by the beautiful words, and invited him in. They walked through the blooming groves. The giant tasted the fruits, and for the first time in a long while, he smiled with his whole body.

When evening came, the giant told that he was homeless. His own people had driven him away and called him a burden. Bonde said: "You may rest in our cottage over there. It stands empty. It is yours for the night, and longer if needed."

The giant thanked him deeply. But over time, his family came, and then his kin. The cottage was not enough, and soon they also took up space in Bondes house. Bonde tried to speak up: ”This is my home, my life's work.” But the giant looked him in the eyes and said: ”My ancestors lived here thousands of years ago. We are only taking back what is ours.”

The neighbors began to interfere. The giant, who could speak their language and knew their customs, convinced them of his right. Bonde, who had never left the farm, was not heard. The quarrels began. The children fought. The giant chopped down trees. Bonde refused to share the water. When the neighbors grew tired, they decided to divide the farm into two parts.

Bonde protested: "This is not fair. It was I who once invited him." But no one listened anymore. One night, the giant attacked. With his kin, he took the house, murdered, destroyed, and drove away Bonde's family. Those who survived were forced to stay in the cottage. The giant himself took the house, the land, and the power.

Years passed. Bonde and his relatives cried out for justice. They told what had happened, but their voices were drowned in suspicion, fear, and indifference.

Finally, one of Bonde's sons could no longer bear the burden. He had seen everything – how the trees burned, how people died, how no one cared. One night he launched a counterattack and killed some of the giant's relatives. The villages then condemned Bonde's son. Even Bonde himself condemned the son's actions. But they forgot what the giant had done for decades.

The revenge came, brutal and merciless. The giant let the boy, his friends, and many innocents be murdered. He burned down the cottage and tore down everything that remained of Bonde's world. "Now you know what happens when you defy us," said the giant.

Many shouted: "Enough!" But others said: "Continue!" Some remembered what had happened. Others saw only the latest blood. Many turned away as if nothing had happened.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Annika Strandhäll (S)

Mr. Speaker! I thank the Minister for Foreign Affairs for the deeply serious debate here today.

I entered the chamber, a bit with my breath caught in my throat, and took my place on the speaking list. I came directly from my dentist, whom I visited during lunch. I told her that I would subsequently participate in a debate with the Foreign Minister about Gaza. The color immediately rose in her cheeks. She said: Annika, use your voice! Say it as it is! What is happening is not sensible.

I believe she expressed what very many Swedish citizens in our country feel today. It is striking and completely unacceptable in a situation where one of our time's greatest humanitarian catastrophes is unfolding before our eyes in Gaza. 70 percent of those killed are women and children. More than 77,000 have been injured. Over 1.7 million, almost 2 million, people are displaced within the Gaza Strip. Hospitals are being bombed, ambulances are being attacked, and entire neighborhoods are being turned into ruins.

The UN Secretary-General calls Gaza a killing field and has warned that civilians are trapped in an endless death spiral. As a fellow party colleague told me here, it is 500 days of repeated war crimes – before our eyes.

What position has the Swedish government and Sweden's Foreign Minister taken during this time? It is a position that will be a stain on Swedish foreign policy history, where one has consistently from the beginning stood aside from the international initiatives taken in the UN or in the EU Parliament to stop the killing.

The Moderates' track record in the EU Parliament can be seen by everyone. It is consistently against all initiatives to put an end to the horrific things unfolding before our eyes.

Sweden has had a tradition of having a strong foreign policy voice for justice, for what is right, for international law and for human rights. When history is written about what will probably end in ethnic cleansing and forced displacement in Gaza, we will all be ashamed.

In the midst of all this, one does not even have the ability to ensure that the aid we can nevertheless contribute goes to the organization – a UN agency – that the EU's own foreign policy chief has said is essential. Not even then does the Swedish government have the ability to say: Of course we should support UNRWA! Instead, as the only EU country, one has stood aside.

I have more to say but will stop here.

(Applause)

In this speech, Johan Büser and Daniel Vencu Velasquez Castro (both S) concurred.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Utrikesministern Maria Malmer Stenergard (M)

Mr. Speaker! There are many emotions in this debate, and I truly understand that.

My full focus lies on really making a difference, not on portraying my political opponent as something evil or painting a conflict that actually doesn't exist, and at all costs exploiting the suffering that exists in Gaza to pick up cheap domestic political points. I will never do that.

The civilian suffering in Gaza is utterly devastating. Various UN bodies testify that the food supplies in Gaza are exhausted and that there is a shortage of medicine and water. We have been very clear from the government's side that we cannot accept this.

We are one of the countries in the world that provides the most support to Gaza, and we have now doubled the support that was previously given to UNRWA. One can either, as some do here, tether their arguments to the fact that the support does not go to a certain organization that one themselves wants it to go to, or one can focus on the fact that we have now doubled the support and that the money goes to several different aid organizations – many of which are also UN agencies that can demonstrably also operate in Gaza.

And it is important, Johan Büser and several others, not to spread disinformation. There are more EU countries that do not provide support to UNRWA: Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Croatia, Hungary and Slovakia. The Netherlands have decided to also phase out the support.

Sweden has repeatedly, in our conversations with Israel's government, demanded that humanitarian access be ensured. Within the EU, we have also pushed Israel's government to let in humanitarian aid. We are many countries raising our voices so that Israel's government should also do more.

We welcome that the European Commission will conduct a review of Israel's compliance with Article 2 of the association agreement with a view to whether they live up to human rights. The answer to Alexandra Völker's question is therefore that we naturally await that analysis and expect a number of options for action from the Commission which we can then take a position on. But I want to flag already that it was a large number of countries that did not stand behind this analysis and that it may be difficult to move forward. Regardless of this, we must do more here and now. We do not have time to wait for the result.

At the same time, we continue to demand that Hamas immediately release the hostages. Hamas cannot have a place in a future governance of Gaza. We want to see a united Gaza and West Bank under the leadership of a reformed Palestinian authority. I met leading representatives for this during my visit to Palestine, which was referred to here earlier.

Israel has the right to defend itself, but that right must be exercised in accordance with international law, including international humanitarian law.

Both the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice have ongoing investigations concerning the current situation in Gaza. The Government supports the courts and their independence.

I note that Magdalena Andersson also, on a question on May 20 regarding whether it is genocide, said that it is a question that needs to be decided in an international court. I share that view.

A ceasefire is needed. An end to the fighting is needed, and the hostages must be released.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Ola Möller (S)

Mr. Speaker! Death camp – that is how Johan von Schreeb describes the situation in Gaza. With his enormous experience and knowledge of disasters and war, the statement is actually difficult to take in: death camp. Even just uttering the words should deeply move every feeling human being. It should call for immediate action: death camp.

That we have even reached this point is a disgrace – not only for the Swedish government, but for the entire world. Naturally, the withdrawn support for UNRWA plays a central role in this.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs points out that there are other countries. Just when it comes to foreign policy, I might think that, given the track record of the EU countries – Hungary's, for example – one perhaps should not feel proud of that position.

It is an undeniable fact that Sweden, together with the USA, actively supports the destruction of the Palestinian people by withdrawing the funds to the organization that for 75 years has sustained their lives. There is no other organization that can replace UNRWA – regardless of how many times the government's representatives claim this.

I spoke as recently as this morning with UNRWA's Gaza Chief Sam Rose. More people should do so – including Member of Parliament Magdalena Thuresson – to understand what UNRWA is and does. It cannot be compared with the World Food Programme. They do not collect trash. They do not run health centers. They do not have an ecosystem of healthcare in Gaza – or on the West Bank, in Lebanon, Syria, or Jordan for that matter.

When one withdraws the funds to UNRWA, one actively participates in preventing the Palestinian people's survival. That is the responsibility, when one strangles those funds.

This applies purely economically, of course, because it means that the entire existence is threatened. It means, among other things, that the money that people use to buy bread in Gaza right now will disappear, because the wages will – as it looks right now – stop being paid in July. It means that the 15,000 UNRWA employees, who in turn support approximately 150,000 – ten for one, roughly – will run out of money. This is happening in an already collapsing economic situation.

There is also a moral dimension to this, besides the purely economic one. We all see it when it comes to Hamas. We have condemned Hamas, and we will continue to condemn Hamas. We have had sanctions against Hamas, and we will continue with that. We will continue to demand that all hostages be released.

There was a plan for this in the ceasefire that Israel broke – because it is not about the hostages for the Israeli government. They have clearly said that. They already stipulated a long time ago that starvation is the weapon they wanted to use as early as August 2024. But the world did not let them. Joe Biden did not allow it. Now it is Trump who rules. Then it is okay.

Now even the Israeli opposition is saying that enough is enough, otherwise Israel will become a pariah state. If one is a friend of Israel, one obviously does not want them to become that, and then one does not see to helping them in the destruction of the Palestinian people.

The ICJ has been clear: We must do everything in our power to stop what could be a genocide. Then the Swedish government withdraws the funds to those who help the Palestinian children survive. It is a disgrace.

I ask the minister: Does she realize what role history will attribute to her in this?

(Applause)

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Alexandra Völker (S)

Mr. Speaker! To reach everyone in need, UNRWA's support is critical. That is how the World Food Programme expresses itself, and that is how the majority of – or virtually all – the organizations operating in Gaza express themselves. This applies to Save the Children and Unicef – the list is long of organizations that also express what an incredibly important role UNRWA plays, for it is they who have the infrastructure.

No one questions that the World Food Programme, Save the Children, Unicef or other organizations perform incredibly important work and can make an incredibly big difference. But they need the infrastructure that only UNRWA can provide, and that cannot be built up in a bombed-out Gaza.

Mr. Speaker! We see all the time how the situation on the ground in Gaza is worsening. We see how the Israeli government is taking new steps after having blocked food, medicine, and water for ten weeks. During these ten weeks, hospitals have simultaneously been attacked to the extent that there is no longer a single fully functioning hospital in Gaza. At the same time, the bombs continue to fall. Lives are lost, and people are injured – without any possibility of functioning medical care.

After these ten weeks, Israel's Prime Minister Netanyahu announces that Israel will take control of the entire Gaza and that they intend to use forced displacements. This completely contradicts international law. Despite thousands of trucks standing ready at the border with 116,000 tons of food and supplies, they do not let in more than a few.

Now thousands of children in Gaza are on the brink of starvation. There is no time for a long review, but we must act now, with the tools we have. Sweden must push to freeze the trade agreement now.

(Applause)

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Johan Büser (S)

Mr. Speaker! This debate has truly shown that the pressure in Sweden is now increasing and that the government can no longer be passive. We Social Democrats have here in the chamber long spoken about both the condemnation of Hamas and the condemnation that rightfully and very powerfully should be directed towards what Israel is doing now.

When it comes to the issue of UNRWA and aid, the humanitarian principles state that aid should be guided by need – not by politics. The government chose, despite this, to say no when Sida's humanitarian experts wanted to resume the Swedish support to UNRWA. The agency's director-general stated: We are governed by the government. It is a serious departure from Swedish aid principles.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs himself says that the decision is justified by the fact that other actors can replace UNRWA and that the organization is problematic. But that is not true. Sida itself says that no one else can fill the vacuum.

I ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs: Does the Minister for Foreign Affairs share the Minister for Development Cooperation's view, or does she trust EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas more, who explicitly warns against the disinformation about UNRWA that Sweden's government contributes to spreading?

Sweden is the only country that has made a decision to permanently end the support to UNRWA. It is a decision that the Foreign Minister is responsible for. The government says no to freezing the trade agreement. The government says no to stopping imports from occupied territory, and the government says no to putting force behind the words of condemnation against what is now happening right before our eyes.

Speaking of picking up domestic political points, I finally want to say that people with a background in Palestine thank us Social Democrats daily for standing up for international law. It is enough to go on social media to see citizens, celebrities, artists, and experts in international law saying: Now is the time to raise the Swedish voice.

(Applause)

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Daniel Vencu Velasquez Castro (S)

Mr. Speaker! I want to comment on this matter of picking political points. We are talking about 55,000 dead Palestinians. It is remarkable that the Minister accuses members in this chamber – who may be the center of politics in Sweden – of picking political points. This is what we are elected to do: to conduct politics and demand accountability from this government.

I wonder how history will describe the Moderaternas time at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs during the years 2022–2026. The Foreign Minister does not want to be seen as having been passive. I thought then of doing a little piece of historiography: In 2023, development aid to just Palestine was paused. In December 2023, Tobias Billström stated that a ceasefire would not be fair to Israel. In the UN, on several occasions, one has voted no, or abstained from voting, on ending the occupation of Palestine and giving the Palestinian authority full rights in the UN.

This has been consistent. Everything has been done to support Israel and to make it difficult for the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank. It is the only party in the conflict that recognizes a two-state solution, which condemns Hamas and demands that Hamas lays down its weapons. That is not what the Israeli government does, and they do not recognize a two-state solution.

Mr. Speaker! I wonder about the historiography. Our demands are crystal clear, namely to summon the Israeli ambassador, introduce sharp sanctions against ministers, resume support for UNRWA and demand that Israel's illegal occupation must cease now.

(Applause)

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Arber Gashi (S)

Mr. Speaker! The Swedish government cannot claim that it is doing everything it can to achieve results with aid while Sweden, as the only country in the EU, has made a decision to stop all support to UNRWA. It is directly contradictory.

We should stand up for international law in Sweden. We should invest in long-term development aid in education, in healthcare, and in women's rights. We should be an active, clear, and strong voice to stop this war. We should cooperate with the UN agencies on the ground. We should show solidarity.

This government chooses not to do so. Support is being withdrawn from UNRWA in a situation where children are starving, and hospitals and healthcare are collapsing. Time and again, the Moderaterna vote no in the European Parliament when demands are made for Israel to follow international law. They have abstained from condemning the occupation in the UN General Assembly.

Madam Speaker! It is not just about aid or resolutions, it is about which side one chooses to stand on when human rights are threatened. Until now, this government has chosen the wrong side. The way forward should be crystal clear. The government must act to stop the famine, reinstate support for UNRWA, contribute to suspending Israel's trade agreements with the EU, impose sanctions against the entire Netanyahu government, not just individual ministers, and work for a comprehensive arms embargo against Israel. It is not, Madam Speaker, a day too late.

(Applause)

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Magdalena Thuresson (M)

Madam Speaker! I want to emphasize again that I strongly distance myself from the rhetoric that has an undertone of, or even expresses outright that, the government or representatives in the Swedish Riksdag would in any way be indifferent to the catastrophe we are seeing.

The conflict must not be used to whip up strife between groups in Sweden. We do not want to see threats, hatred, and violence in Sweden be grounded in the war between Hamas and Israel.

I only have two minutes available, but let us look ahead. What is happening now is not just a catastrophe here and now, but it takes us further away from a negotiated two-state solution where Israelis and Palestinians can live peacefully side by side.

For everyone who has visited Israel and Palestine, it is striking how fundamentally different the worldviews of people on different sides of the conflict are. That divide is now growing even wider. The wounds and the hatred that are now being created across entire generations will take a long time to heal, and it is something many of us are worried about.

I want to emphasize again that the humanitarian situation in Gaza is beyond horrific. All efforts must be made to secure unimpeded humanitarian access. Hostages must be released. The war must come to an end. Legal authorities need to investigate crimes.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Louise Thunström (S)

Madam Speaker! I am not standing here to score political points. I am taking my responsibility as an elected representative and the opportunity and duty I have to make my voice heard in the chamber. Indifferent or not are no words I have heard any of the Social Democrats have used. But the fact remains that the government's voice has not been loud enough.

Madam Speaker! So many times we have said: Never again. But it is happening right now before the eyes of the whole world. We will never be able to say that we knew nothing. How much longer shall Israel's far-right government be allowed to continue violating international law without consequences? Help must come forward. Sanctions must be imposed. The settler violence in the West Bank must cease. The occupation must come to an end.

So that there is no doubt whatsoever: The Israeli hostage must, naturally, be released immediately and unconditionally by Hamas.

Madam Speaker! What we are witnessing in Gaza is more than a humanitarian crisis. That is what happens with far-right governments. History will judge us harshly, but there is a right side of history to stand on. I appeal to Sweden's government to choose that side.

(Applause)

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Jamal El-Haj (-)

Madam Speaker! It is our human duty to seek the truth, to resist the temptations of populism and not let the poison of propaganda distort our thoughts. It is important to seek the truth.

It is unfair to accuse many of us of picking up political points. I have personally lost relatives and friends, and I wake up at night from nightmares. I see all the children, and I see Tim and Ahmed and everyone who has died in the war.

I appeal to the Minister for Foreign Affairs not to let the Sweden Democrats lead the government into dangerous waters. I truly love Sweden, and I have always been proud of our foreign policy regardless of which government has been in power. I do not want to see my country Sweden end up in the same league as Trump in the USA and Orbán in Hungary. My appeal is therefore simple: Reconsider your position, not only for the children in Gaza but also for Sweden's reputation in the future.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Annika Strandhäll (S)

Madam Speaker! I was actually stunned when the Minister for Foreign Affairs, in the Riksdag's rostrum, during a debate concerning the issue we are discussing, tries to paint it as if we have clearly taken the side of the murdered during these 500 days of war in order to pick up cheap domestic political points. Then I do not think that Maria Malmer Stenergard has understood her role at all.

You are Sweden's foreign policy voice in the world. The Swedish government governs Sweden and is Sweden's voice in the world. What you say matters! What Maria Malmer Stenergard says matters! I shall express myself correctly.

It is like this, Maria Malmer Stenergard. It is possible to go back and see what the Foreign Minister has said. It is possible to see what Sweden's government has done during these 500 days. It is documented. I can guarantee the Foreign Minister that it is only a Google search away. That is what is frightening. And that is what I mean when I say that I am ashamed of how Sweden and Sweden's government have handled this conflict for this long.

But there is an opportunity to do better.

(Applause)

(ANDRE VICE TALMANNEN: Just as the member himself pointed out, the Minister for Foreign Affairs shall be addressed by name or by title.)

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Utrikesministern Maria Malmer Stenergard (M)

Madam Speaker! The Government has very clearly shown our strong commitment to continued humanitarian support for the hard-hit civilian population in Gaza. In December, the Government decided to significantly strengthen our preparedness for further humanitarian support by allocating 800 million kronor to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the region, which is a doubling compared to the previous year. The focus is on, among other things, health care, SRHR, food distribution, protection, and emergency housing. Sweden's total humanitarian support to Gaza since October 2023 amounts to over 930 million kronor, thus nearly 1 billion.

Sweden also supports and contributes personnel to Eubam Rafah, which stands ready to resume its work as soon as it is possible. The mission is an important part of the EU's efforts to support a sustainable political solution for Gaza. We also contribute in a substantial way to the rebuilding of the Palestinian Authority.

Everything the opposition ignores. A picture is conveyed in Sweden of the government's policy that is therefore not correct. Instead, we should use our collective voice to push for humanitarian access and for reduced suffering. I can draw no other conclusion than that it is to score own political, short-term points. I can only regret that. I do not hear the Social Democrats talking about how we have increased the support to almost 1 billion to reduce the humanitarian suffering in Gaza and the region.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Ola Möller (S)

Madam Speaker! I would like to thank everyone who has participated in the debate.

I stood in this speaker's chair over a year ago and asked Foreign Minister Billström to take the lead, to be a lion in Swedish foreign policy and lead us toward what we wished to see. Billström did not take that baton. Maria Malmer Stenergard did not take that baton.

We Social Democrats have been ready to act. But it has not been acted upon, just as colleagues have accounted for. On the contrary, it has been opposed. No one is accusing the government of being indifferent. We accuse the government of taking a clear stand for one party. It is even worse than indifference.

Unfortunately, it seems that every generation is to have its places that are to etch themselves into humanity's consciousness because of the atrocities committed there. Since I was born, it has been places such as Halabja, Srebrenica, Rwanda, Xinjiang and Myanmar.

To that line, we now add Gaza in the spring of 2025. There, hatred, madness, and raw power triumphed. The world watched. It let it happen. The Swedish government stood by the perpetrators' side the entire time. That is what it will say in the history books. When future generations read them, they will ask: What did you do when all of this happened?

(Applause)

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Utrikesministern Maria Malmer Stenergard (M)

Madam Speaker! I believe that humility lies at different distances for different individuals.

I also believe it is dangerous to give the impression that this would be a conflict that is very easy to solve and that we, a small country on the edge of northern Europe but a large country on the humanitarian playing field, could end this conflict. That is how it sounds in this debate. But I believe one should be a bit more humble than that.

Someone suggests that we should call up Israel's ambassador and introduce sanctions against Israel. Then the war will end. It is not that simple. Furthermore, unanimity in the EU is required to introduce sanctions. I believe that is known. But one still pretends towards the public that the world is incredibly much simpler than it is. No one benefits from that. One merely makes a fool of oneself in such a large and incredibly difficult issue.

I want to once again highlight how much Sweden does. We provide almost 1 billion in humanitarian aid to alleviate the terrible suffering we see. It is dreadful to see the children who are starving. Then we must use the strength of our collective voice to push forward.

But instead, the opposition devotes itself to trying to downplay what the government does, to downplay our voice. I will never accept that. I will continue to stand up for our line, which means that we support those who are now suffering so terribly, while at the same time we state that Hamas bears a terribly heavy responsibility for the situation that has arisen.

I believe that balanced, constructive voices are needed if we are ever to be able to help each other solve this difficult conflict.

The interpellations debate was hereby concluded.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)