Response to interpellation 2025/26:68 on the resumed support for the Ecumenical Companion Program at Västbanken
Translated from Swedish by AI; the translation may contain errors. The Swedish text is the original.
Summary AI, written in advance
1 M argues that the government does not make decisions on individual interventions without these occurring at the agency level 1. 1 M emphasizes that phasing out certain interventions is necessary to create room for new goals in the strategy 1. 2 3 M believes that resources are finite and that one must therefore prioritize economic development, the health sector, and the quality of institutions 2 3. 3 M advocates for tougher sanctions against extremist ministers and settlers 3. 4 M argues that it is fantastic that churches and congregations collect money themselves 4. 4 M argues that the government has changed the strategy to prioritize economic development and health interventions due to finite resources 4. 5 S argues that the government cannot blame Sida for the terminated support 5. 5 6 S believes that the escort program is unique and crucial for protecting civilians and documenting abuses 5 6. 5 6 S argues that the government should reconsider its decision because the program is an important protective factor 5 6. 5 S argues that the government should act when international law is violated 5. 5 S argues that the government should prioritize international presence 5. 6 S argues that the government should invest in what works 6. 6 S argues that the government should do the right thing and re-evaluate its position 6. 7 S argues that Social Democrats have had to push the government forward so that they can be forward-looking in the EU 7. 7 S believes that it is indefensible not to fund the program that protects Palestinian children 7. 7 S argues that the government has resources since money has been paid to projects in Somalia and that it is a matter of a lack of political will 7.
Written by AI in advance and may contain errors. The numbers lead to the speech a statement builds on; check against the text below.
Bistånds- och utrikeshandelsministern Benjamin Dousa (M)
Madam Speaker! Linnéa Wickman has asked me if the government intends to review the decision to terminate the Swedish support for the escort program, in light of the severely deteriorated situation for the civilian population on the West Bank. Linnéa Wickman further asks how I assess how the loss of Swedish funding for an initiative that has been internationally recognized as one of the few protective factors against violence, harassment, and abuse from settlers affects the possibilities to protect the civilian population and monitor human rights in the area.
Let me first state that it is not the government that makes decisions on individual measures within the framework of the regional aid strategy for the Middle East, including Palestine. The operationalization of the strategy and decisions on support are made at the agency level.
The new strategy contains partially new goals for the development cooperation with Palestine. The overall orientation of the Palestinian aid is to contribute to a peaceful development by promoting the long-term conditions for a negotiated two-state solution in accordance with international law. Phasing out certain existing interventions is necessary to create space for other, new interventions in accordance with the new strategy goals. This is a task that Sida carries out continuously, in this strategy as well as in others.
The Government views with continued great concern the very serious developments in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, with increased settler violence and continued settlement expansion. The settlements and settlement policy violate international law, undermine the two-state solution, and contribute to an elevated level of conflict. The Government has taken the initiative to introduce EU sanctions against extremist Israeli ministers and acted for decisions on further sanction listings of extremist settlers. The Government will continue to stand up for international law.
Sweden will continue to support programs, organizations, and activities that contribute to an international, civil presence on the West Bank. Sweden is a major core donor to several international organizations, for example, the UN human rights organ (OHCHR), which has a presence on the West Bank and regularly reports on the situation for human rights. Through the aid, Swedish personnel contributions are also funded to the EU's civil crisis management operation Eupol Copps, where Sweden provides the largest contribution.
Linnéa Wickman (S)
Madam Speaker! I thank the Minister for the answer.
I begin by saying that the government cannot continue to blame Sida regarding the terminated support for the Ecumenical Companion Programme. It was a direct consequence of abolishing the strategy and cutting aid specifically for Palestine, and that is serious. The Companion Programme is unique in its presence on the ground, in its ability to prevent violence, in protecting civilians, and in documenting human rights abuses.
Madam Speaker! In the shadow of the horrific crimes against humanity that many experts describe as a genocide in Gaza, the violence from illegal Israeli settlers in the West Bank and in East Jerusalem has reached extreme levels while impunity persists. Palestinians are harassed, assaulted, displaced, and killed without legal consequences. The UN stated that last year was the worst year for settler violence in over 20 years. This year, the attacks have increased further. By destroying land, crops, livestock, property, and homes, people are prevented from cultivating their land. This is particularly noticeable during the olive harvest, where the livelihood and the vitality of local communities are torn apart.
The Israeli government has also, through Minister Ben-Gvir, armed settlers with tens of thousands of automatic weapons. Their actions are protected or completely ignored by the military while the Israeli government makes decisions on new settlements.
Over a thousand Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank in recent years. More have been displaced, and over 20 villages have been erased. Every attack, every displaced home, and every new settlement takes us further away from a two-state solution where both Israelis and Palestinians can live in peace, in freedom, and in security. This is a deliberate strategy to undermine a future peace. It is also against that background that it is so difficult to understand the government's reluctance to reconsider the support for the companion program. To speak of international law and that the two-state solution is important also means that we must act when international law is violated, not that we withdraw when our engagement is needed most of all.
The companion program started in 2002 after churches had sounded the alarm about the need for an international presence to protect the civilian population. Since then, Swedish churches, with the help of Swedish aid, have done an immensely important work to secure an international presence. Hundreds of Swedes have served as companions, accompanied children to school, dampened violence, and provided security in an everyday life marked by violence and occupation.
When Sweden withdrew its support, several Israeli human rights organizations, for example Rabbis for Human Rights, warned of the consequences. They said that a withdrawal of Swedish support would hit hard against the protection of civilians and against peace work.
Now we see what they warned about. The village council in al-Tuwani in Masafer Yatta says that there is no one left to call. The settlers are attacking them. They call the military and the police, and they come and arrest them instead. The violence just continues. If we want to invest in anything at all, it is more international presence. It is their last chance.
Now we see how Swedish churches have joined forces to send out a new small group of companions in January. But now the question is whether the government will let the churches alone take the responsibility to protect the Palestinian civilian population.
Bistånds- och utrikeshandelsministern Benjamin Dousa (M)
Madam Speaker! Linnéa Wickman and I completely agree that the expansive settlement policy and the brutal settlement violence must come to an immediate end.
I visited the West Bank at the end of last year, and I visited a suburb of Ramallah. There I saw with my own eyes the brutality that youths from settlements exercised against Palestinian civilians. They burned cars, threw stones, and set fire to an entire residential building where there were also children. I have seen it with my own eyes. This does not seem to come to an end, but it just continues on an even larger scale. It feels as though when the world's eyes have rightly been on Gaza, the West Bank has been partially forgotten. That is why it is incredibly important to have these types of debates and contribute to having a sane discussion about what we should do with the Palestinian aid.
The problem is that our resources are finite. I think the program is fundamentally very constructive, and I have met many of those who have participated. Some of them are elected representatives in this chamber, and they have made great contributions for the Palestinian population. But with finite resources, one must also prioritize. The reallocation of the Palestinian aid is currently focusing more concentratedly on economic development, on supporting activities to manage the very extensive health challenges that have followed the war, and on promoting the reforms that are needed for democracy and good governance in Palestine. I believe we are in complete agreement that these are things that are needed.
Our resources are, as said, finite, and we now want to focus a bit more long-term on building the type of institutions that, in the medium and long term, promote democracy, on ensuring that the quality of the institutions increases, and on ensuring that the people in Västbanken can feel some hope for the future.
Linnéa Wickman (S)
Madam Speaker! The UN warns that the attacks on Palestinians who usually cultivate their land during the current olive harvest are more numerous than ever and that olive groves are being left unharvested. This involves costs of hundreds of millions of kronor for Palestinian farmers when they cannot cultivate their land.
Palestinian children cannot get safely to school because they are attacked by Israeli settlers on the way or harassed by the Israeli military when they have to go through checkpoints.
The International Court of Justice, ICJ, has ruled that Israel must end its illegal occupation of Palestine and that every state has a responsibility to contribute to ending the violations of international law. Therefore, we must be able to expect from a Swedish government that it does not do the opposite.
The companions are on the ground. They accompany children to school, protect civilians and document abuses. It is they who report to, among other places, the UN and the rest of the world what they see. They also show that there is someone who sees and who cares, in a very hopeless and desperate situation.
In the debate, the minister refers to the fact that Sweden supports the UN's human rights program and their presence on the West Bank. That is important. But they also say in their own report that there are three actors who are particularly important and crucial for the protection of civilians. One of them is precisely the accompaniment program. Another is Rabbis for Human Rights, who in Swedish media explicitly warned that a withdrawn Swedish support would weaken the entire international protection work on site, because Sweden has played an immensely important role.
In the report, the UN and civil society plead for increased resources and cooperation so that they can at all meet the extreme levels of violence we see. They now call for a rapid expansion of protection activities that work, i.e., the opposite of what the Swedish government has de facto done.
The staff in the UN human rights body also note that it is the companions they contact to get a picture of the situation in vulnerable local communities. They do not, therefore, themselves carry out the same civil protection efforts as the companions do and do not replace their efforts.
Unicef has evaluated the escort program's efforts linked to children specifically and has concluded that it is an important measure for Palestinian children's schooling. When the children themselves are asked, they say that they are treated better by Israeli soldiers when escorts are on site. This obviously makes them and their parents feel safer and that the parents dare to send their children to school.
Madam Speaker! Sometimes things can go wrong. Decisions that are made can have consequences that one perhaps hasn't quite imagined. I wonder if the government really, when they scrapped the strategy for Palestine and produced a new strategy for the entire Middle East and included, for example, that religious minorities should be protected, had imagined that it would lead to them withdrawing support for a faith-based actor that actually contributes to the protection of both churches and Christian villages. Did the government think that their decision would lead to it becoming more difficult for Palestinian children to be able to go to school?
I am, nevertheless, convinced that I and the Minister agree that strengthened access to education is among the most important things we can do for Palestinian girls and boys to have a brighter future.
It is time for the government to do the right thing. I wonder what will be required, based on the situation on the ground, for the government to reassess its position.
Bistånds- och utrikeshandelsministern Benjamin Dousa (M)
Madam Speaker! I and Linnéa Wickman are, as said, in complete agreement that the brutal violence must come to an end. It is only getting worse and worse. The latest E1-plan that has been presented will also, in an illegal manner, forcibly displace many Palestinian families. We see a clear radicalization of the Israeli government's policy, and have seen it for many months.
I believe that the most effective tool we can use here, if we are to be somewhat honest, is to move forward with much tougher sanctions against both the most extreme ministers in the Israeli government and more violent settlers. These are people who are directly dangerous and who really should be sanctioned by the EU. I am happy to cooperate with Linnéa Wickman and the rest of the chamber's members of parliament on how we can get more EU countries on board with the very tough line that Sweden has.
From what I have seen and heard – I have also spoken with many companions – the initiative is admirable and very constructive. But it is, as said, a matter of priorities. Now we choose, especially in light of what we have seen in Gaza, to prioritize, for example, the health sector.
We know that it will take years, perhaps even decades, to establish a functioning health sector in Gaza. We will ensure that we support both Egypt's ability to receive Palestinian families with healthcare needs and the Jordanian healthcare capacity, but also in the West Bank. I believe that is incredibly important to reduce human suffering.
This is about where we, with the limited budget we have, can do the greatest good. I believe that we, where we are right now, can do the greatest good partly in the health sector and partly by, as I said, promoting the quality of the institutions and ensuring that Västbanken gets a more vibrant business environment that can flourish, that can export and that can hire. In this way, we can improve the living conditions not only for a few hundred families but for tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, millions of people who live in Västbanken.
If it then turns out not to work in the long run, we will constantly reassess all aid in that sense. But that is what we want to achieve. We want to help in volume, as many on Västbanken as it is simply possible, and improve living conditions, make life more democratic, create employment and jobs, and ensure that more mothers and fathers on Västbanken can go to work.
Linnéa Wickman (S)
Madam Speaker! It is quite telling of the government's position in this debate that one has previously either blamed or hidden behind Sida's decisions, which they have been forced to make as a result of the government's policy, or boasted about EU decisions. These are certainly important, but if we are to be honest, we Social Democrats have had to push the government ahead of us during this dreadful war so that they will at least be proactive and push forward in EU circles for, for example, sanctions against extremist Israeli ministers and against settlers.
Madam Speaker! We are not asking Sweden to do everything. But the situation is actually worse than ever, and we cannot even finance the Ecumenical Companion Program. It is an initiative that protects Palestinian children so that they can go to school, which documents abuses, and which are the only ones creating any form of safety. And we are contacted daily with reports of attacks. This is actually unjustifiable.
In recent weeks, we have also been able to witness a major scandal. The government has obviously paid very large sums of money to Somalia and to projects that are very close to that regime. Obviously, there is money for that. That one does not prioritize the escort program in this serious situation, I strongly question.
I want to urge the government to let go of its pride. This seems to be about political will rather than resources.
I would like to conclude by expressing a big thank you to the churches and organizations in the Swedish Christian Council who are now, despite everything, resuming the accompaniment program on a small scale. They do it because they feel a moral responsibility when the government fails. I wish for the government to reassess its decision.
Bistånds- och utrikeshandelsministern Benjamin Dousa (M)
Madam Speaker! I also think it is fantastic that churches and parishes themselves collect money and themselves use their own capital to make important contributions all around the world. It is fantastic. We should do more of that in Sweden. This shows in a very clear way that civil society, aid, and heart-warming efforts together are much greater than just what the state does. If we pool our forces, it is possible to carry out activities all around the world to help the most vulnerable people on the globe.
We support international presence in the West Bank through several different capacities, which have been mentioned earlier here in the debate. Regarding Palestine as a whole, we are Europe's largest donor to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. We also have very extensive development aid in Palestine in the West Bank. This is, as said, about us narrowing that development aid to more specifically target promoting economic development and very important health interventions. I do not in any way think that I have hidden behind Sida. I have been very clear that it is we who have changed the strategy, but it is Sida that makes decisions on which interventions are carried out. This is an obvious result of us narrowing the strategy.
Then one must also have answers on which health interventions will be cut in order for this to be financed. As said, these are also very important interventions. We can gladly have a discussion on how large the aid budget should be in total and how much of it should go to Sweden. I welcome such a debate. But this is about the fact that we have finite resources both in the aid budget as a whole and in the aid to Palestine, especially on the West Bank. In that case, the government has chosen to specifically prioritize economic development, so that more children can see their parents go to work and so that we can see more Palestinian companies become viable. Furthermore, very important health interventions are being carried out. I think the war in Gaza with all its clarity has shown that it is precisely that which is needed.
Source: The Swedish Parliament. The speeches come from the open data of the Riksdag, translated into English by AI, which may contain errors.