Response to interpellation 2025/26:333 on protection for Swedish citizens participating in a flotilla to Gaza
Translated from Swedish by AI; the translation may contain errors. The Swedish text is the original.
Summary AI, written in advance
M argues that the Ministry for Foreign Affairs has advised against travel to Gaza for over a decade and that Swedish citizens are urged to respect this 1. M considers that Israel has a certain scope to stop and control ships on international waters and that the country has a responsibility for the safety of the persons under its control 1. M states that the government does not intend to demand accountability or compensation from Israel 1. M argues that the government took measures during the previous flotilla voyage by urging the participants to cancel the trip and conducting visits to those imprisoned 1.
Written by AI in advance and may contain errors. The numbers lead to the speech a statement builds on; check against the text below.
Utrikesministern Maria Malmer Stenergard (M)
Madam Speaker! Lorena Delgado Varas has asked me what concrete measures the government will take to protect Swedish citizens participating in the Global Sumud Flotilla on March 29 and whether I consider Israel's actions against civilian solidarity ships in international waters to be compatible with international law – and if not, what consequences this has had for Sweden's relationship with Israel.
Lorena Delgado Varas has also asked me if I intend to demand accountability, compensation, or a public apology from Israel for the deprivation of liberty of Swedish citizens in connection with previous flotilla voyages.
Furthermore, Lorena Delgado Varas has asked me if I am prepared to clearly state that Swedish citizens participating in the Sumud Flotilla shall not be left without consular and political protection.
I would like to initially repeat my answer to the member from the previous interpellation that the Ministry for Foreign Affairs has for more than a decade advised against all travel to Gaza. The security situation remains very serious, and this advice against all travel to Gaza remains. Swedish citizens are urged to respect it.
The Ministry for Foreign Affairs does not have the possibility to provide consular assistance or any other assistance at sea, and the possibilities to provide consular support inside Gaza are very limited.
The laws of war give Israel a certain scope to stop and control ships on international waters and to bring the ships and their crew to a safe harbor. If Israel uses this scope, the country also bears a responsibility for the safety of the persons who are under its control.
Sweden has, both bilaterally and through the EU, underlined Israel's obligation to act in accordance with international law, including international humanitarian law.
The Government does not intend to demand accountability, compensation, or any public apology from Israel for the deprivation of liberty of Swedish citizens in connection with the Sumud Flotilla.
Claims that the government did not take any measures to protect the Swedish participants in connection with the previous Sumud Flotilla are not correct. As a protective measure, the Swedish participants were urged on several occasions to cancel the trip. Several visits were also carried out to the detained Swedish citizens.
Incorrect and offensive treatment of Swedish citizens can never be accepted, which is why Sweden repeatedly signaled against Israel and emphasized the importance of Swedes being treated well.
Lorena Delgado Varas (-)
Madam Speaker! The Minister's response shows that the Swedish government does not want to take in facts or lessons at all.
I begin where the Minister began, with the advice. The Minister points out that the UD for over a decade has advised against travel to Gaza and that Swedish citizens are urged to respect that. But let me be clear: This debate is not about whether the Minister likes or does not like our travel choices. It is about what we were subjected to in international waters – a crime – and about Sweden's responsibility when its citizens are subjected to crimes, regardless of where they are or why. Traveling to countries where genocide, war, and so on are taking place with aid shipments is nothing new and is not a crime.
The Minister says: ”The laws of war give Israel a certain scope to stop and control ships on international waters and to bring the ships and their crew to a safe harbor.” As in the previous interpellation debate, I want to dwell on the words ”stop and control”. Here the Minister makes a moral and intellectual slide. To stop and control is one thing, but to attack civilian aid ships with drones for hours, to board them with military force, to force 462 civilians, including myself, to kneel with hands behind their heads under threat of automatic weapons, to take us to prison in a foreign state, to deny us access to water, food, and medicine for several days, and to subject us to systematic humiliation and physical violence is not ”a certain scope” and is not to ”stop and control”. It is kidnapping, arbitrary deprivation of liberty, and a violation of international law. That is what this is about.
The Minister continues to apologize for Israel, that is, the country that has committed war crimes. The Minister says that Israel also has a responsibility. But it is a responsibility that Israel has grossly disregarded. We have seen Israel grossly disregard many rights and many laws over and over again. But the Minister continues to undermine international law and international laws as well as to support Israel.
Sweden wants to show in some way that it stands behind international law by taking a stand against Israel. But these are only words, and these words cost nothing and lead nowhere when it comes to a state like Israel that is committing genocide.
What has happened after what happened to us? Nothing. Israel continues its genocide. The next flotilla will likely be boarded, more crimes will be committed in Israel's name and the next group of Swedes will be imprisoned. But the minister does not want to do anything about it.
TREDJE VICE TALMANNEN
The Minister yields the floor.
Source: The Swedish Parliament. The speeches come from the open data of the Riksdag, translated into English by AI, which may contain errors.