Response to interpellations 2023/24:326, 340 and 341 on the situation in Gaza and the West Bank

Utrikesministern Tobias Billström (M)

Madam Speaker! Ola Möller has asked me questions as to whether Israel's actions are just and proportionate and whether Israel is exercising self-defense within the framework of international law and international humanitarian law. Håkan Svenneling has asked me whether the government intends to take the initiative for peace talks, whether I intend to direct criticism at Israel's government for violations of international law, and whether the government supports South Africa's application to the ICJ and that the question of genocide is being tried in court. Lorena Delgado Varas has asked questions as to whether the government will work to have sanctions imposed against Israel, that the EU's association agreement with Israel is terminated, that the EU imposes an arms embargo against Israel, and that state actors such as Vinnova receive directives to terminate cooperation with Israel. I answer the interpellations collectively.

The human suffering is enormous on both sides. Israel has been hit by the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust. The terrorist attack was therefore more than a massacre of 1,200 innocent Israelis. It was an attack against the very idea of a sanctuary for the world's Jews. Therefore, this war is existential for Israel.

The EU and Sweden therefore stand behind Israel's right to defend itself, but that right must be exercised in accordance with international law and international humanitarian law. Civilians must always be protected in accordance with humanitarian law. Every innocent life spilled in the war is a tragedy. As the fighting now moves south, where many Gazans have moved, Israel must do its utmost to protect civilians.

Sweden condemns Hamas's use of hospitals for military operations and civilians as human shields. The war entails serious consequences for the hospitals and affects the civilian population and healthcare personnel in a terrible way. Israel should also take special consideration of the requirements of international humanitarian law regarding the protection of hospitals, medical supplies, and patients.

It remains difficult for an external party, without knowledge of which military targets have been relevant, to assess how the principles of distinction, proportionality, and precaution have been applied in different situations. But of course, our concern grows over the large civilian losses, many of which are children. Likewise, the extensive damage to civilian property raises questions. The suffering among Gaza's civilian population is immense.

How these rules are respected and whether war crimes have been committed must be assessed on a case-by-case basis based on international humanitarian law. It is a question that can be examined by legal authorities, including the International Criminal Court, ICC, which has an ongoing investigation regarding the situation in Palestine.

I have noted that South Africa has initiated proceedings against Israel before the International Court of Justice regarding alleged violations of the Genocide Convention. The International Court of Justice is the UN's principal judicial organ. It is an independent court that the UN's member states are, of course, expected to respect.

In line with the EU, the government does not support a boycott of or sanctions against Israel. We believe in dialogue and consider that a good bilateral relationship where we can both speak for deepened cooperation and express criticism in difficult issues is the way forward. Sweden has a long-term interest in deepening the relationship and cooperation with Israel, which, like Sweden, has advanced innovation and research. This also includes central areas of interest such as green transition, smart industry and equality, as well as the important work against antisemitism. Vinnova's office in Israel is an important part of the concrete innovation cooperation.

For the same reasons, it is welcome that the EU has a long-term relationship with Israel and that in this way we can deepen our cooperation in key areas and conduct dialogue on issues where we are not always in agreement. The Association Agreement constitutes a central platform for this.

The government supports and works, like the EU, actively for a political process leading to a negotiated two-state solution. The two-state solution remains the only sustainable solution for peace and security for both Israel and Palestine in the long term. Sweden and the EU also support diplomatic efforts by regional partners, the UN, and the USA. The EU's commitment is clear, and the EU is the international actor that is most active alongside the USA. The EU also has a special envoy working for a return to a political process.

Sweden has a restrictive view on the export of war materiel. It is the Inspectorate of Strategic Products that is the competent supervisory and licensing authority. ISP makes a holistic assessment in each individual case.

(Applause)

In this speech, Jörgen Berglund, Mikael Damsgaard, David Josefsson, Ann-Sofie Lifvenhage, Erik Ottoson, Magnus Resare, Maria Stockhaus, John E Weinerhall and Viktor Wärnick (all M) concurred.

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

Ola Möller (S)

Madam Speaker! It is 100 days of devastation and killing before the eyes of the world. It is a killing and a destruction that we actually have not seen in decades. It is a killing that occurs at such a tempo that it has many times been stated: never again. But now it is happening again.

The killing did not begin on October 7. What happened that day was extreme. It was brutal, and it was an abhorrent act of terror. It must be condemned. It has been condemned, and we will continue to condemn it. There is no freedom to kidnap innocent people. There is no right to bomb indiscriminately. And there is no defense for rape, murder, and destruction. But, Madam Speaker, this also applies before and after October 7.

For decades, Israel has occupied the West Bank. For years, Israel has maintained an illegal blockade and created the world's largest open-air prison. Thousands of Palestinians have, over the years, been imprisoned without trials, without grounds. Millions of people in Palestine have been denied the right to return to their land, from which their ancestors were expelled. Millions are denied the right to self-determination and their right to a future.

What is being played out before our eyes today is the normal activity of the Israeli state - but on steroids. Prisoners are mistreated, humiliated and tortured - that is nothing new. The Palestinian villages are emptied - that is nothing new. Olive groves are destroyed - that is nothing new. Buildings constructed with international funds are destroyed - that is also nothing new. Extrajudicial executions have been reported previously, among others by Social Democratic ministers, so that is nothing new. Aerial bombings with white phosphorus are the normal method for the Israeli state - that is nothing new.

That is why the Israeli government's position and actions over a very long period have been utterly shameful. They have violated international law and international humanitarian law for decades. And our part of the world has allowed this to happen despite the world having seen it, as Josep Borrell now states – that Netanyahu himself has supported Hamas.

Still, trade agreements continue. Still, arms sales to Israel continue, even though Israel has also been exposed for spying on its own allies. Still, it continues.

Given the Swedish government's actions regarding aid and their persistent tweeting about Hamas connections, M and L should also immediately leave the government cooperation with KD. The handshakes with Netanyahu, who has supported Hamas, are well-known. Furthermore, KD goes on trips to groups that organize ethnic cleansing. It is completely hair-raising - groups that, therefore, have entry bans in the USA and for whom the EU is discussing entry bans are cooperation partners to KD.

It is a shame, a betrayal and a great stain on the banners of democracy that the Palestinian people are made to suffer year after year and year. This must become a turning point.

Security, then, someone will always say when one speaks of a two-state solution. It is a fully legitimate question - a question that should be asked of Mohammed, Aisha, and Noor, who were not protected by Iron Dome and high walls, who are not protected by one of the world's strongest, USA-supported armies. What security guarantees did they receive? Their future has been taken from them by the bombs that fell - all in self-defense and in proportion to their mere existence as Palestinian children, all according to our Swedish government and Foreign Minister.

(Applause)

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

Håkan Svenneling (V)

Madam Speaker! I have submitted this interpellation to Foreign Minister Tobias Billström because we all need to receive answers on what the Foreign Minister is doing and intends to do to end the war in Gaza, what responsibility Sweden has, and above all, what responsibility Sweden should take.

Many of us here today want to see more action from the Minister for Foreign Affairs. Many of us here in the chamber, in the gallery, and at home on the TV sofas want answers. If "last in line" had a face, it would be Minister for Foreign Affairs Tobias Billström. In this weekend's interview in Ekot, he did, for the first time, direct criticism towards Netanyahu and questioned whether international humanitarian law has been observed.

Time and again we have heard him repeat that Israel has the right to defend itself. He also said that in today's interpellation answer. What is interesting is that no one has questioned Israel's right to defend civilians. What is interesting is, as we write today, January 23, 2024, in our calendars, that Israel's bombings and attacks against Gaza have now been ongoing for 107 days - 107 days that have led to at least 25,105 Palestinians being killed and 62,000 injured. It is 107 days that have caused 20 of 36 hospitals to have to close, 107 days that have caused 60 percent of all homes in Gaza to be damaged, 107 days without any teaching being able to be conducted for children and young people while 90 percent of all school buildings have been damaged, 107 days that have led to everyone in Gaza risking starvation and 378,000 people are already in acute starvation here and now.

No other conflict has killed so many UN staff members. Journalists who have tried to report are being killed like flies, and Reporters Without Borders has stated that individual journalists have been targets of some of Israel's attacks. The organization Oxfam states that the killing of Palestinians every day is significantly higher than in comparable conflicts. When Israel stops food, water, medicine, and fuel from entering Gaza, it is obvious that it is a collective punishment and a killing of everyone in Gaza, nothing else.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu leads the most far-right government that Israel has ever had, a government that not only hates the Palestinian people, human rights and the principles of the rule of law but also clearly and explicitly opposes a two-state solution.

It is time for Sweden and the Western world to stop giving their support to Israel's government and military. Especially the USA and Joe Biden have a great responsibility for the daily killing of Palestinians. Instead, Netanyahu, Ben-Gvir and Smotrich should be brought before the bar of justice and prosecuted for the crime they have committed.

In today's interpellation answer, the Foreign Minister mentions Israel 20 times while Palestine is only mentioned 2 times. It is a clear picture of how the government balances. "A massacre of 1,200 innocent Israelis," the Foreign Minister thunders. But the Palestinians are not mentioned. The closest we hear is that "the suffering among Gaza's civilian population is immense." The question of whether it is a massacre of innocent Palestinians is not answered by the Foreign Minister.

Sweden's government should change course and exert pressure on Israel to achieve a ceasefire now with humanitarian access for food, water, and medicine, a humanitarian access that must be established before Gaza dies.

This war did not, however, start 107 days ago. More than 75 years ago, the displacement of Palestinians began. We have a responsibility to stop that ethnic cleansing today.

(Applause)

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

Lorena Delgado Varas (V)

Madam Speaker! It has been over 100 days since October 7. Unfortunately, the minister, just like the media, reports the Israelis who have been murdered but not the innocent Palestinian civilians who have been murdered. Behind every figure, there is a human being who was loved, who had a future, who is mourned. To this day, if we count from October 7, over 25,000 Palestinians have been murdered; 12,000 of them are children. If we count further back, the figure is much, much higher.

In addition to the murders of civilians in Gaza, attacks and murders of civilians on the West Bank were committed by the Israeli army and Israeli settlers who were armed by the Israeli state. It is provocative that the minister says it is difficult for an external party to assess how the principles of distinction, proportionality, and precaution were applied given the use of carpet bombing over residential areas in Gaza, targeted bombings against hospitals, and attacks against specific groups such as journalists. The minister may perhaps turn to the UN for more information.

We have also during these over 100 days received statements from ministers, high-ranking military officers, and Netanyahu himself about taking over Gaza, whatever the cost, and that it will continue at least until 2025. I hope that the Foreign Minister has received information about this. This is a genocide rhetoric - a rhetoric that one carries out.

President Isaac Herzog, who in the Western world has been seen as a progressive, forward-looking president, clarified, for example, that Israel did not distinguish between civilians and militant Palestinians in Gaza. He said: It is an entire nation that is responsible. The rhetoric that civilians do not know or that they are not involved is not true. We will fight them all until we break their backbone.

The government, with Kristersson and Billström at the helm, refuses to do the slightest thing to stop the genocide, which is actually an obligation according to the genocide convention. I looked at the list of sanctions that Sweden currently applies. I mean no criticism of the sanctions themselves, but many of the backgrounds pale in comparison to the bloodiest conflict in modern times, which is Israel's offensive against Gaza.

This government, which speaks so nicely about using trade and so on as a way to increase democracy and contribute to a future in poor countries, is not even willing to do the bare minimum during an ongoing genocide.

I will try to address some of the things the minister has stated here so that we land in a real context. I want to start by putting figures on the table: 25,000 murdered, an unknown number murdered during the spillover, 1.9 million displaced, 60,000 injured, thousands of orphans, 300,000 homes bombed, all universities bombed, all hospitals bombed and attacked, schools bombed, UN schools bombed, refugee camps bombed, all mosques bombed, all historical buildings bombed, the historical archive totally destroyed.

This is, if nothing else, genocide.

(Applause)

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

Stefan Olsson (M)

Madam Speaker! The war in Gaza is a tragedy, and I think we all agree on that. This is not the first time we have had an interpellation debate on the subject. The last time was on November 16, and this debate therefore becomes, to some extent, a reprise.

As the debate developed, various representatives for the opposition wanted the Swedish government to state that Israel's acts of war in Gaza are disproportionate and therefore illegal. That is also how the debate is being conducted here today. The interpellants want Sweden to establish that Israel is violating the laws of war.

I therefore want to, in the same way as I did in the previous debate, instead recommend that the government take a more cautious stance. We are talking here about accusations of war crimes. And it is usually not wise to try to determine if someone has committed criminal acts based on reports in the media, unless the crime is obvious, such as when Russia terror-bombs residential buildings in Ukraine. It is wise to wait for what professional assessors say, for example, prosecutors at the International Criminal Court. Then we will also get a .

(THIRD DEPUTY SPEAKER: I want to remind that the House's deliberations must not be disturbed by observers in the gallery. I ask the guards to promptly remove those persons who disturb the order.)

Thank you, Madam Speaker! I shall continue.

(THIRD DEPUTY SPEAKER: Please!)

Then we will also get an assessment of the war crimes that Hamas commits by using human shields, not to mention the horrific attack against civilians that initiated the war.

If the government instead does as the interpellants want and enters the debate with the sole purpose of calling Israel war criminals, Sweden becomes part of the conflict. And it is a conflict that is actually not Sweden's.

There will come a time when, with a better knowledge base than we have now, we will be able to judge whether Israel's warfare has been legal or not. Such a legal process should then be led by those who have expert knowledge of urban warfare and of international humanitarian law. Otherwise, it will mostly be loose opinions.

Madam Speaker! It is the war itself that is the great problem, and a more important issue for the government to focus on is what Sweden can do so that we can reach an end. I can, like everyone else, see the consequences in the form of lost human lives and the destruction of the cities. It is therefore reasonable to ask Israel if the military actions can be scaled down.

The other party in the war, the terrorist organization Hamas, can also be urged to surrender. There is no possibility for Hamas to achieve military successes. As for the German Nazis in Berlin in April 1945, a continued war will only torment their own population to no benefit for anyone. We sometimes speak of Hamas as if they were not a group of people who understand what we say, but it is a political movement with leaders who can be addressed.

The responsibility for bringing an end to the war does not lie solely with Israel. I note that the opposition's representatives in their contributions have not said a single word about Hamas's guilt for the fact that the war is still ongoing.

(Applause)

In this speech, Ann-Sofie Lifvenhage, Erik Ottoson, Maria Stockhaus and John E Weinerhall (all M) concurred.

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

Morgan Johansson (S)

Madam Speaker! On Friday, we could read that pregnant women in Gaza who must give birth by caesarean section are now doing so without anesthesia. Caesarean sections without anesthesia! It is only a fragment of the reality that now prevails in Gaza.

The representative for the UN Children's Fund Unicef, Tess Ingram, has commented on this in Sky News. She has said that newborn babies suffer while the mothers bleed to death, and it should keep us all awake at night. These babies are born into a hell. That is exactly it. Gaza, which even before the invasion and the bombings was the world's largest open-air prison, and where life for the people was already very difficult, has now been transformed into precisely a hell on earth.

This is one of the many horrific pieces of news that we have been able to witness during the more than three months that the war has now been ongoing. It is three months of almost daily bombings of densely populated areas. Entire neighborhoods have been leveled to the ground.

The Hamas terror attack on October 7 was a horrific crime: 1,200 dead on the very same day. Israel has the right to defend itself against Hamas. But war also has laws. One war crime does not justify another war crime. That is not how international law works.

I am looking at the death tolls in the war. So far, an estimated 25,000 Palestinians have been killed. The numbers could be lower, and they could also be higher. No one knows how many hundreds or thousands of dead are under the rubble. We will not even get to know that after the war. Many of them will not be able to be identified because their bodies are torn apart. It is about 25,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children.

How many Israeli soldiers have been killed? There we actually have exact figures: 208 have been killed in Gaza. The Palestinian losses in Gaza are therefore over 25,000, most of them women and children. The Israeli losses in Gaza are 208 soldiers.

So that is how it looks - 99 percent of the losses in Gaza are on the Palestinian side. Can one even call it a war? Is that what we are talking about? Is it not rather a massacre since it is almost only one side that is dying in Gaza?

What we are talking about here is a massive violence that goes far beyond the limits of reasonableness, and it must come to an end. We can keep going and argue about what we should call it and how we should formulate ourselves. Shall we say temporary ceasefire? Shall we say humanitarian ceasefire? Shall we say permanent ceasefire? Should we even call it a ceasefire? Should we instead talk about a cessation of hostilities? We can keep talking about all such things and argue about how we should formulate ourselves, but people are dying every day while the rest of the world talks.

I urge the Swedish government to now actively and strongly push in the UN and in the EU for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and demand that the rest of the world uses all available political and economic means to achieve that. The international community, Madam Speaker, must put a stop to the killing - and it must happen now.

(Applause)

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

Jacob Risberg (MP)

Madam Speaker! First and foremost, I would like to thank Lorena Delgado Varas, Ola Möller and Håkan Svenneling for initiating today's important debate.

I thought I would talk a little bit about the principle of the responsibility to protect. It is a principle that was adopted by the UN in 2005 after lessons from, among others, Srebrenica and Rwanda. The principle stipulates that a state has a duty, an obligation, to protect its own civilian population if crimes against humanity, war crimes, or genocide are occurring. The principle also says that if that state fails, the rest of the world must help the state protect the civilian population. Finally, the principle says that if the state still fails to protect its own civilian population, it is the duty of the rest of the world, according to the responsibility to protect, to protect the civilian population.

Already on October 7, the same day the horrific attacks against Israel were carried out, the UN said that a total siege of Gaza would violate international law. A month later, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, said that both Israel and Hamas have most likely committed war crimes. The Swedish professor Pål Wrange has said that it is very likely that Israel is violating international law, and organizations such as Amnesty, Human Rights Watch and even the Swedish Doctors Without Borders have said that war crimes or violations of international law are ongoing in Gaza.

We have seen forced displacement of civilians in Gaza. It is a war crime.

We have seen bombings of hospitals. It is a war crime. Of 36 hospitals, 20 are totally destroyed and no longer function, and the other 16 only function partially. We have already heard what suffering patients are undergoing today because of the treatment.

Israel is restricting access to clean water. They are restricting access to food, and they are restricting access to electricity. The entire Palestinian population of 2.2 million people is at risk of starving. It is a war crime.

At least 3 churches and 157 mosques have been damaged or destroyed by the bombings. It is a war crime.

Since October 7, all 625,000 schoolchildren in Gaza have been without any form of schooling, and 90 percent of all schools are today destroyed or damaged.

For me, it is very clear that war crimes are being committed. It should also be clear for the Swedish government. Responsibility to protect, the duty to protect, is a principle that Sweden has been involved in and signed on to. I wonder, Madam Speaker, when the Swedish government will act based on that duty.

(Applause)

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

Linnéa Wickman (S)

Madam Speaker! Gaza is hell on earth. Of the at least 25,000 dead Palestinians, 70 percent are girls and women, and 10,000 are children. Every hour, two mothers die in Gaza, and the 50,000 women who are pregnant are abandoned to a collapsed healthcare system while aid organizations report that the number of miscarriages has increased by 300 percent.

UN Women, whose support from Sweden has been cut by 55 percent during Tobias Billström's time as Foreign Minister, now warns that women are being forced into C-sections without anesthesia due to the lack of an immediate ceasefire and full humanitarian access to Gaza.

In the wake of war, where violence triumphs and Gaza is now practically uninhabitable, girls and women are hit particularly hard - and they are hit doubly. As part of the civilian population, they are subjected to a warfare from Israel's side that, in its extent, is unparalleled in modern times and which is the complete opposite of proportional and precise use of violence.

It is a grotesque violence in conflicts, and it often happens in the shadows. As we have seen, it is also directed against Israeli civilians, against women, as part of Hamas's unjustifiable terror attack.

I do not doubt that the Foreign Minister thinks the humanitarian situation in Gaza is appalling. But based on the actions since the war started, I strongly doubt the political will from Sweden's government to take the lead and act in practice for international law and an immediate ceasefire.

Since the war between Israel and Hamas started, we Social Democrats, together with other opposition parties in the Swedish Riksdag, have pushed the government forward, not least in the EU Committee, to urge the government to push in the UN and in the EU for an immediate ceasefire, so that emergency aid shipments can enter Gaza at a level that meets the gigantic humanitarian need, and for the EU to introduce sanctions against violent militant settlers who, now in the shadow of the war in Gaza, humiliate, displace, and kill Palestinians in the West Bank without Israel, out of its obligation as an occupying power, intervening. On the contrary, we have for a long time seen how the two-state solution is deliberately being torn down on the ground through illegal settlements and forced displacements, and now with a violence in the West Bank that reaches new levels.

Madam Speaker! Not once during these hundred days of war have we been able to hear a clear and distinct Swedish voice from the government criticizing the violations of international law that we see being committed in the war. Instead, Sweden's voice for decency has fallen silent.

The SD-led government chose at the end of October to ensure that Sweden voted no to the UN resolution on a humanitarian ceasefire.

Unlike the EU, and despite that Sida's review of the aid to Palestine has been scrutinized in the summer, [the government] has chosen to continue freezing development aid to civil society in Palestine and to the forces that are more important than ever for a democratic and peaceful future beyond occupation to be able to be built, with two states living side by side. It is these very forces that the government chooses to weaken in the midst of a burning war. That makes the words about a two-state solution echo very hollowly.

I want to ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs what Sweden is doing and what the Minister for Foreign Affairs, in the capacity of their office, will do in the coming hours, days, and weeks to contribute to an immediate ceasefire being achieved.

(Applause)

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

Johan Büser (S)

Madam Speaker! Many previous speakers in this debate have touched upon the horrific, hellish situation currently prevailing in Gaza.

Many of us perhaps saw Rapport this evening. There, we met a family who were cooking food for the children, like so many other families. The difference was that the walls in the kitchen, in the living room, and in the bedrooms were blown out, and around the dwellings, there were no other houses left.

Someone asked the family: What do you do when you cook for your children? They answered: We can only hope that peace will come one day. It will surely come soon, said the family resignedly.

I believe that many were touched by the little girl in the same segment. She first said that she missed all her toys, which had disappeared, but soon realized that she would do anything so that at least one of all of them whom she knew and who no longer exist could come back to life. After that, the girl burst into uncontrollable crying.

Madam Speaker! We choose for ourselves whether, in such a situation, we turn away our gaze or try to influence the situation with the little each one of us can do.

If one is Sweden's Minister for Foreign Affairs, one actually has the opportunity to make one's voice heard. One has the opportunity to speak as a representative of a country that has historically engaged against violence, war, and oppression and make one's voice heard. With representatives in the position of Minister for Foreign Affairs such as Sten Andersson, Anna Lindh, Margot Wallström and even Carl Bildt, there is no doubt that Sweden has had clear voices for peace, against occupation, against terrorism and for a two-state solution and thus played an important role.

Madam Speaker! In November, I asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs in an interpellation how Sweden intended to act given the very difficult humanitarian situation that already prevailed in Gaza. I did so partly against the background that many members of the Riksdag and other representatives of the SD-led right-wing government had said and written strange things about both international law and the situation in Israel and Palestine.

I received a response from the Minister for Foreign Affairs, a response that I partially appreciated, where the Minister for Foreign Affairs stated that Sweden will continue to conduct intensive diplomatic negotiations and efforts to ensure compliance with humanitarian law. The release of hostages was addressed, as well as the need to avoid a regional escalation. Furthermore, the Minister for Foreign Affairs was clear at that time that there is no other way forward than a negotiated two-state solution where Israel and Palestine can coexist in peace and security.

God evening, Madam Speaker. I welcomed those words from the Minister for Foreign Affairs. But as I said earlier, words must be followed by action, and looking away from what is happening is not an option. We who work with the issue daily, in both the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the EU Committee, and other forums, know and are aware of these positions. But beyond this, the question remains: What has Sweden's government and the Minister for Foreign Affairs done to conduct the intensive diplomatic negotiations that the Minister for Foreign Affairs mentioned most recently here in the Chamber? Has criticism, for example, been conveyed directly to Israel for the ongoing very aggressive warfare? Has Sweden's government taken other initiatives?

I believe that many of us are wondering about this here in today's interpellation debate, and I think it would be interesting to receive this account here, when the Minister for Foreign Affairs gets the opportunity to answer after our contributions.

(Applause)

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

Lotta Johnsson Fornarve (V)

Madam Speaker! Thanks to the interpellants for important interpellations, and thanks also to the minister for the answer to the interpellations! But I do not hear the Foreign Minister say a single word about the importance of a swift ceasefire to end the brutal killing of civilians in Gaza. We have no exact figure on how many are being killed. Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor makes its own calculations. So far, it is estimated that over 31,000 have been killed and 61,000 injured; approximately half of these are women and children. The killing must come to an end! And the only way to put an end to the violence is through a swift, permanent ceasefire. There is no military solution.

Of course, I and the Left Party condemn Hamas's brutal attacks on civilians on October 7. It was a horrific attack that cannot be defended. But it is also impossible to defend that Israel is now punishing the entire Palestinian population.

The Minister condemns Hamas's use of hospitals for military operations and of civilians as human shields but does not clearly condemn Israel's bombs against schools, hospitals, and civilian targets. It is completely obvious that Israel is committing and has committed a large number of crimes against international law and international humanitarian law and has not protected the civilian population in the way it is obliged to do.

Of course, all war crimes must be investigated and those responsible must be held accountable, regardless of who they were committed by. It is therefore good that there are now two investigations ongoing regarding war crimes and genocide in the International Criminal Court, ICC, and the UN's International Court of Justice in The Hague, ICJ. It is important that Sweden as a country now openly stands behind and supports these processes.

The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. A number of organizations, such as the UN, WHO and others, warn that 2.2 million people face a famine catastrophe if nothing happens. The few trucks that are allowed in are not enough. In an article in Aftonbladet, the UN's humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths describes the desperation that UN staff have seen on the ground. He also notes that Gaza has become almost uninhabitable. Its population witnesses threats to their existence every day while the world watches.

That Sweden, in this serious situation, continues to freeze parts of the aid to the Palestinian organizations is, to say the least, deeply distressing. No other country in the EU has acted like Sweden when it comes to the aid. Aid organizations have been forced to break contracts with partners without any objective grounds.

The aid must be reinstated as soon as possible. Without development aid to Palestine, far more humanitarian aid will be needed to save lives and alleviate people's acute distress and needs. This reduces both the effectiveness, the long-term perspective, and the dignity of Swedish aid.

I also expect Sweden's government to be crystal clear towards Israel and clarify that we stand up for a Palestinian state and not just for an Israeli one, that a two-state solution is the only way forward and that Israel's illegal occupation of Palestine and the illegal settlements must cease. If Israel does not listen, it is highly relevant to demand sanctions against Israel.

But the most important and most urgent thing is a swift, permanent ceasefire and to stop the blockade against Gaza so that supplies, food and medicine can get in. I expect Sweden's government to act with force and demand a swift ceasefire to save the lives of innocent civilian women and children.

(Applause)

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

Azra Muranovic (S)

Madam Speaker! I would like to begin by saying that at this time last year, we were on a trip to Palestine and Israel with Diakonia. After that, we had an interpellation debate with the Minister for Foreign Affairs – I do not know if you will remember it, but I hope so.

The reason we were so shocked was that, in addition to seeing the West Bank and how Palestinians have been systematically treated, we had the opportunity to meet Eli Hazan from Likud, who himself told us, openly and honestly, that there are no innocent Palestinians, only active and inactive terrorists. When we asked him if this applied to the elderly, children, and civilians, he said: Yes, they are inactive terrorists. I want to remind of this, because this view seems to have spilled over when it comes to how Gaza and the Hamas terror attack have been handled.

In November, I submitted another interpellation to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, in which I requested what measures the Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Swedish government have taken to ensure that children's rights, in accordance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child and international humanitarian law, are upheld. At that point, over 8,000 people had been killed, and over 3,500 of the civilian victims were children.

Now we stand here again, two months later. The number of civilian victims is now over 25,000, of which over 10,000 are children. I know that a good number of Moderate representatives have problems with these figures and think they may be inflated and that one cannot really know where they come from. But the UN, the Red Cross, Doctors Without Borders, and Amnesty use these. What is it that makes the Swedish government doubt these figures and sit on its hands?

Of the civilians who lost their lives, 10,000 are children. The figure for children who have been injured, traumatized, or amputated without anesthesia is even higher, as is the figure for thirsty and hungry children and children who have been orphaned. This is a catastrophe of shocking proportions.

I am astonished that people are behaving as if it is raining and waiting for the weather to change again. Gaza has become a children's graveyard, but I hear no one from the government condemn this.

In my previous interpellation, the Minister for Foreign Affairs replied: "The Swedish government, together with a united EU, has consistently urged both sides to respect international humanitarian law and protect the civilian population. Direct attacks against civilians and civilian property are not permitted. Principles of distinction between military targets and civilian objects, proportionality, and precaution must always be applied. Children shall, according to international humanitarian law, be given special protection given their vulnerability. Hospitals, medical personnel, and humanitarian personnel also enjoy a special protection."

Now more children have been killed than when we had this interpellation in November. More children have been killed in Gaza than the number of children who have been killed in total in Gaza and the West Bank since 1967. I wonder if the Foreign Minister could account for what intensive diplomatic efforts have been made. Has the gravity of the situation been conveyed to Israel, or have the economic interests weighed more heavily?

(Applause)

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

Denis Begic (S)

Madam Speaker! War is hell. I know that, and so do my compatriots who fled 30 years ago - among other places, to Sweden.

The humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where over 25,000 people, primarily women and children, have lost their lives, must make us reflect on our own role and our values as a nation. It is clear that Sweden's current stance towards the conflict between Israel and Palestine requires a profound reassessment, especially in light of the rule of law's principles on human rights.

Israel, as an occupying power, has a responsibility to comply with international law. Reports of excessive violence, destruction of civilian infrastructure, and other serious violations of human rights cannot be ignored. Sweden, which is known for its defense of human rights and the principles of the rule of law, must take a clearer and more forceful stand against these violations.

Firstly, Sweden must demand an immediate ceasefire from Israel and that Israel respects its international commitments. This means ensuring protection for the civilian population in the occupied territories and providing immediate and unimpeded access to humanitarian aid. We must also condemn and work to counter the ongoing expansion of Israeli settlements on occupied land. It is an action that violates international law and undermines the possibilities for a sustainable peace.

Secondly, Sweden should actively contribute to the international efforts to find a just and lasting solution to the conflict. This means supporting a two-state solution where both parties can live in peace and security. We must also work to hold both parties accountable for their actions and ensure that future negotiations are characterized by respect for human rights and the principles of the rule of law.

Sweden's voice and actions on the international arena are crucial. This was also mentioned in a previous speech. We can no longer stand passive in the face of the ongoing conflict and the daily suffering for the Palestinians, but also for a good number of Israelis. It is our duty to actively promote peace, justice, and human rights.

I therefore urge the government to review and strengthen its position in this conflict in accordance with Sweden's values as a nation that respects and defends international law and human rights. Therefore, the government must change its current position and take concrete measures to effectively address the violations of human rights and the humanitarian crisis currently unfolding in Gaza.

(Applause)

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

Peter Hultqvist (S)

Madam Speaker! The laws of war are built upon what is called distinction, proportionality, precaution, the prohibition of unnecessary suffering, the prohibition of superfluous injury, and the principle of non-discrimination. There is a prohibition against attacking civilians. The civilian population shall be protected, and civilian objects may not be attacked. Healthcare shall be protected, and the wounded and sick shall be cared for.

This is part of the laws of war. It does not take much to be able to state what it looks like when one has bombed, cleared, and destroyed. At any rate, I see what I see. I believe my eyes are working. But it seems that in some parts of this assembly there is some kind of precautionary principle where one almost has to deny what one clearly experiences and sees. I find that to be quite strange.

One of the biggest reasons why crimes against the laws of war remain unpunished is ignorance. It is because one does not want to do anything about the situation; that is the reason. There is some kind of denial in this, where one does not believe that those whom one - possibly - thinks well of can commit this type of act.

There is talk of dialogue. The Foreign Minister lists a long series of collaborations with Israel. Has this led to us having obtained a solution to the Palestine question? Has it led to the war ending? Has it led to the events in Gaza not having occurred?

What does the dialogue with the Palestinians look like? That is also a part of this. It must then be a question of a dialogue that is perceived to be worthy of the name and not just something that is constantly repeated in different contexts but which in practice has zero and no value.

Then one comes to a core point. If it is indeed the case that a two-state solution is possible, it requires that the Palestinian Authority, which was a consequence of the agreement that Arafat and Rabin signed, receives massive and clear support from the international community. If that does not happen, there is no weight on the Palestinian side that makes it possible to conduct negotiations in a fair way.

The Palestinian Authority is not Hamas. It has been repeated so many times from our side that we distance ourselves from the act of terrorism by Hamas and that we see it as a crime against the laws of war, that it is a debate that actually does not need to be had. But it seems to be very difficult for government representatives in different contexts to clearly see what it is that Israel is actually doing.

If one looks at the whole question of a two-state solution, one can simply state that the settlements, that people are forced to travel on separate roads, that Israel expands the settlements and builds a wall and so on, complicates and undermines a two-state solution. No deeper education is required to realize this. It is a quite simple analysis, because it is an analysis from reality. It shows that this has not held. A ceasefire is, in any case, something that can be the beginning of a possible improvement.

(Applause)

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

Margareta Cederfelt (M)

Madam Speaker! I have listened to the debate for a long time, and I want to first say that I fully stand behind Foreign Minister Tobias Billström's contribution and also my colleague Stefan Olsson's contribution.

I would like to raise a question that I heard the former Minister of Defence express himself about. But that is the only thing I have heard here about this, and I think that this is a fundamental issue that must be raised in the debate.

On October 7 last year, early morning, Hamas launched its operation al-Aqsa Flood. It was the Jewish Sabbath, during the holiday Simchat Torah. It was an attack against the Israeli civilian population. It was an attack that struck ruthlessly against the civilian population - against women and children, just as you have spoken about. Many of us remember October 7. It was a terrible day. War unfortunately often gives birth to war. But I think it is unfortunate that you do not mention October 7, because it was a day of sorrow - a terrible day.

(Applause)

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

Utrikesministern Tobias Billström (M)

Madam Speaker! It has now been over three months since the terrorist group Hamas carried out its barbaric attacks against Israel and the now ongoing war began. As I said initially, the human suffering on both sides is enormous. Israel has been hit by the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust, and at the same time, many thousands of Palestinians have died in the war.

The government stands up for Israel's right to defend itself. Israel's goal to neutralize Hamas's military capability is therefore understandable. Furthermore, it would enable an end to Hamas's authoritarian Islamist rule. The government therefore welcomes the adoption of the new sanctions regime against Hamas, which was decided upon on Friday.

At the same time, the government's concern is growing over the extent of the consequences of the warfare for the civilian population in Gaza, the very large number of civilian deaths, of which a horrifyingly large number are children, and the extensive damage to civilian property. This raises questions about compliance with international humanitarian law. I raise these questions, and other representatives have also done so.

Hospitals and hospital transports enjoy a special protection under international humanitarian law. Hospital staff and patients shall be protected, and the government has therefore entered an appeal to Israel to show the greatest possible restraint to ensure the protection of civilians. Humanitarian personnel shall also be protected and respected.

At the same time, Hamas must not use civilians as human shields or healthcare facilities as a base for its military operations. However, to determine whether Israel has violated international humanitarian law, an investigation is required, and we do not have the information required for this. We do not, for example, have the basis to determine whether Hamas has placed a military target under a civilian building. This should therefore be investigated by independent legal authorities, and as is known, for example, the International Criminal Court has an ongoing preliminary investigation into the situation in Palestine.

What is completely clear and which the government has repeated in both bilateral and multilateral contexts is the importance of all parties applying the principles of distinction between military targets and civilian objects, proportionality, and precaution. Furthermore, the deportation of Palestinians from Gaza would violate international law.

Madam Speaker! The Government has, like the EU, underlined the serious humanitarian situation in Gaza and therefore demanded early humanitarian access. The Government also voted, together with the other Nordic countries and a significant majority of the EU's member states, for the resolution on a ceasefire for humanitarian reasons in the UN General Assembly on December 12 last year.

The resolution demands an immediate ceasefire for humanitarian reasons and underlines all parties' responsibility to protect civilians and enable humanitarian aid to reach the civilian population in Gaza. A prerequisite for Sweden to vote for the resolution was its demand for the immediate and unconditional release of all those held hostage by Hamas and other groups in Gaza.

The Government welcomes the EU's work in cooperation with the UN, the USA, and regional partners to resume the peace process in the Middle East. At the EU's foreign ministers' meeting earlier this week, I welcomed the EU's continued work to get a peace process started based on a negotiated two-state solution.

We support important initiatives such as a preparatory peace conference as soon as possible. The government's message is therefore that Sweden stands ready to contribute to a broader European initiative. Sweden, like the EU, shall therefore be a strong voice for a negotiated two-state solution where Israel and Palestine can coexist in peace and security.

(Applause)

In this speech, Erik Ottoson and John E Weinerhall (both M) agreed.

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

Ola Möller (S)

Madam Speaker! It is interesting to listen to this debate. I must honestly say that it is fortunate that it is Tobias Billström and not one of the Moderate MPs who is Foreign Minister, because Tobias Billström is still able to see that it would be a crime against international law to ethnically cleanse Gaza. But that 16 villages on the West Bank since October 7 have been actively emptied by settlers with support from the IDF is a crime against international law. This is confirmed; we have full information on that.

One probably needs to have quite large blinkers, if not eye patches, in order not to see what is happening and not to see the flow of information from the UN, Amnesty, Human Rights Watch, the Red Cross, Doctors Without Borders, USA, Spain, Germany, England and in principle all news media in the whole world.

I will raise why it becomes like this. It is due to something that Breaking the Silence, the Israeli organization for veterans from the Israeli army, has told about, namely that the Israeli army has a modus operandi that is built on two lines.

One line is the one that led to them shooting their own hostage, who emerged in underwear with a white flag. Bang, bang, bang! So the Israeli army shot three Israelis without asking why they were carrying a white flag. This is because Israel has as a principle to protect its soldiers over civilians. They shoot first and ask no questions. That was also why women who left a house were shot dead in the open street by Israeli snipers a few weeks ago.

The second line in this modus operandi means that one should first destroy the infrastructure of any potential opponents. This has been applied in Lebanon previously, and now it is also being done in Gaza. That is why so much civil infrastructure is being blown up. It is not because one sends bombs toward the houses, but it is because one, when the house is empty, mines and blows it up.

Everyone has surely seen the image of the hospital that was blown up. That is done to destroy the enemy's opportunity to continue its activities and exist. The tactic to destroy Hamas is to destroy the possibility for the Palestinian people to exist because they, as mentioned here earlier, have been identified by a member of Likud as being either potential or active terrorists.

I must comment on Member Olsson's statement that it has not been established that international law violations are occurring. Apparently, it has been established in the war between Russia and Ukraine. There, approximately 500 children have died in nearly two years. In Gaza, over 10,000 children have died in three months, but Member Olsson is unable to see this. It is a stroke of luck that Member Olsson is not the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

I want, since I have submitted the interpellation, to ask a question about self-defense and proportionality. When did the minister stop thinking it was proportionate? Because for a long time, he did think so. On what date did that happen? What was the event that made it no longer proportionate?

I remember October 7, but I also remember the 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th and 17th of October and every day right up until today. It is ongoing every single day, Margareta Cederfelt. Remember that too!

(Applause)

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

Håkan Svenneling (V)

Madam Speaker! Not allowing impunity to prevail is one of the world's most important roles when crimes and abuses are committed. Regardless of where, against whom, or by whom crimes against international conventions are committed, we must fight so that individuals are held accountable for their actions. Accountability shall prevail, not impunity. Therefore, Sweden, together with other states, has created two courts with similar names, both of which are located in The Hague.

In the autumn, I visited the ICC, International Criminal Court, which is a court that, in accordance with the so-called Rome Statute, prosecutes and judges persons who commit genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. A well-known perpetrator that the ICC has requested the arrest of is Russia's Vladimir Putin.

Israel has a track record of opposing the court ever since it was formed and has not joined the ICC. Since 2015, Palestine has been a member of the ICC. Since 2020, an investigation led by a prosecutor has been ongoing, and through Palestine's accession, the prosecutor can investigate both crimes committed by Palestinians and Israel's crimes on Palestinian territory in Gaza.

The second court in The Hague is the ICJ, which has become more talked about recently. It is the UN's primary judicial organ, a court where legal disputes between states are settled. The fact that the court is now in the spotlight is due to the fact that South Africa, before New Year's, filed a lawsuit against Israel regarding crimes against the UN's Genocide Convention of 1948. South Africa's lawsuit for the adjudication of genocide has received support from a number of countries. What the ICJ is to take a position on is, therefore, whether Israel is committing, or if there is a risk of, genocide.

Sweden should support South Africa's application to the ICJ. The question of whether Israel is committing genocide must be examined in court. Sweden should also increase its support for the ICJ so that war crimes can be investigated quickly and effectively. We have a responsibility to ensure that impunity does not prevail. So let us bring Netanyahu, Ben-Gvir, Smotrich and also gladly Hamas before the court for war crimes.

This debate is no repeat. During the autumn and winter, we have seen how the situation has worsened. And I am concerned when a Moderate member like Olsson has misunderstood what we in the opposition want. We want Sweden to stand up for international law, for the international regulatory framework that we have agreed upon together. We want Sweden to fight for a ceasefire and for the blockade of Gaza, both the one that has been ongoing since 2007 and the one we now see when food, water, medicine, and fuel are stopped from entering Gaza, to be broken. We want Sweden to take the lead for peace and join South Africa's work for accountability and take the lead to bring an end to the Israeli occupation of Palestine and begin fighting for a long-term and sustainable peace and a two-state solution.

We receive many statements today from the Moderate side, but we receive no answers on how the Foreign Minister is working to achieve this. Has Israel's ambassador been called? Has anything been done since the vote in the UN General Assembly? We have not yet heard any concrete examples. And why is October 7 not mentioned? Well, it is because we have no political conflict over how heinous Hamas's crimes were. But we have a political conflict between the opposition and the government over why the government is doing so little when we see children, women, and other Palestinians being starved, murdered, and bombed to death in Gaza every day. Then we wonder: Where is the Swedish government? We are not where we used to be.

(Applause)

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

Lorena Delgado Varas (V)

Madam Speaker! I continue with the response to the text that I began with, so that we all have the right basis to stand on and not just the Minister's will to downplay the genocide.

The Minister justifies the bombing of hospitals by pointing out that Hamas uses the civilian population as human shields and the hospitals as military command centers. There is no evidence for that. Or is it that the Minister has seen the Israeli army's TikTok video? That would be unfortunate, and it is furthermore untrue.

Regardless of this, both the UN, human rights organizations and international law experts have repeatedly pointed out that this is a war crime and that it must cease immediately. We have not heard such a concrete statement from the Swedish government.

One of my questions regarding breaking the association agreement with Israel is completely dismissed by the minister. Rather, the cooperation should be deepened. Today is no exception. Israel's innovations and research are highlighted. The interest in taking part in this thus outweighs the lives of Palestinians. The entire Israeli society is sustained by the apartheid system, the economic contribution from the USA, and the favorable trade agreements.

If we seriously mean that we want a two-state solution, the government must exert pressure by suspending this until the Israeli state can be reasoned with. That is not the case today. Why should we maintain and deepen relations with a state that not only occupies but also commits genocide? The Moderates were on the wrong side of history when it came to apartheid in South Africa, and they are still on the wrong side of history when it comes to Palestine. And just like the South African people, the Palestinian people have a right to freedom. How do they get it?

Speaking of innovation and research, I want to highlight the skewed nature of backing Israel during a genocide while the Palestinian academic world is being demolished. Years of research and innovations have been destroyed. Academics and students have been murdered. Archives have been bombed.

When students at the country's educational institutions here in Sweden demand that universities break cooperation with Israel and companies that have ties to Israel's weapons and security industry, they are met with restrictions and gag orders from our educational institutions. Even the Minister for Education comes out and tries to insinuate that the demands are harmful to academic freedom. But with this, it is shown that Sweden has no problem supporting innovation and research that has been benefited and used in genocide, but at the same time, one denies the Palestinian people development.

We in Vänsterpartiet believe that the government must take a stand for a ceasefire and break cooperation with Israel and stand behind the genocide trial and the war crimes trial. We will not forget, and we will demand justice. The Minister must report on what is being done.

(Applause)

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

Stefan Olsson (M)

Madam Speaker! The central question in this interpellation debate is: What should Sweden's government do?

I would like to thank the Minister for Foreign Affairs and the interpellants for the debate. But I note that the opposition maintains that what is important for Sweden's government is to declare that Israel is a war criminal. But I believe, as I said, that the best thing is to await professional assessments from those with knowledge of urban warfare and the laws of war. To take this position is not at all to uncritically accept everything that Israel does, as the representatives of the opposition wrongly claim.

It may come as a surprise, but it is actually not Tobias Billström who has started the war in Gaza and is driving it forward. I understand the outrage over the consequences of the war. But it is not Tobias Billström who is responsible for this.

Madam Speaker! As a conclusion, I would therefore like to request that the Minister for Foreign Affairs describes what conversations were held at the Council of Ministers for foreign affairs yesterday, where conversations with all leading actors in the region actually took place. It is as the Minister for Foreign Affairs says, namely that the only way to create a long-term and sustainable peace in the area is to achieve a two-state solution. And as I have been able to read in the media, it was discussed yesterday how the future should look. I believe that it is what the Swedish government should focus on above all else and not anticipate the legal process that will take place when the war is over.

(Applause)

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Morgan Johansson (S)

Madam Speaker! In light of the previous contribution, we are talking about 25,000 dead, of whom perhaps 10,000 are children. It is nothing that one can joke about, Stefan Olsson, and this situation is one of the worst we have seen in decades. And this debate must be taken seriously.

I hope that the Foreign Minister takes to heart the debate that we have had here today. I would believe that it is an expression of the frustration that very many in Sweden feel right now, namely the frustration that one feels when one sees the news coming from Gaza every day and from all our news media. We see, so to speak, how Gaza is being laid into ruins and how tens of thousands of civilians are killed, mutilated, and tortured because they have had the misfortune of being born in Gaza and because they live in an area where Hamas has seized power and has had it since 2007. For 17 years, Hamas has ruled in Gaza and oppressed its own population. It is the fate of the people of Gaza - first to be oppressed by Hamas for 17 years and then to be killed in this war as some kind of punishment for what Hamas has done. There is no reasonableness in this at all. And there is no decency in this at all. This must come to an end.

I urge the Minister for Foreign Affairs to use all the political and economic means at their disposal to push for an immediate ceasefire. It is important that Europe and the EU take the initiative. When the USA now enters an election campaign, focus will shift more and more towards domestic issues in the USA, and they will not be able to take that initiative. But we still have the EU, and I want Sweden to take the lead in such a process and actively push in the EU to achieve an immediate ceasefire.

This is what we demand from the Swedish government, and there I want an answer from the Foreign Minister. Does he intend to take on that leadership?

(Applause)

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

TREDJE VICE TALMANNEN

I must once again remind the observers that the chamber's deliberations must not be disturbed by observers in the gallery. I must ask the guards to promptly remove those persons who disturb the order in the gallery.

Now that this has occurred, we can return to the deliberations.

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

Jacob Risberg (MP)

Madam Speaker! First, I would like to turn to the two Moderate members participating in today's debate. Member Cederfelt can rest assured that we were a majority, including myself, who mentioned the horrific attacks that Hamas carried out on October 7. Regarding Member Olsson's contribution, I must say that he unfortunately loses the debate due to Godwin's law. You can Google that, if you wish.

I would therefore like to return to the Foreign Minister's answer. Apparently, the Foreign Minister's concern over the number of civilian casualties in Gaza is growing. We are told that the government has urged Israel to show restraint and to protect civilians. But I did not hear a single word about our own duty according to the principle of responsibility to protect, that is, the duty to protect. When a state fails to protect its own civilian population, it is the responsibility of the international community, including Sweden, to intervene and protect the civilian population.

(Applause)

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Linnéa Wickman (S)

Madam Speaker! In our lives, there will be moments when our choices and efforts, or the lack of efforts, clearly determine who we are both as human beings and as elected representatives. I believe that these months of war between Israel and Hamas, where the civilian population in Gaza is paying the ultimate price for Hamas's unjustifiable terror attack, will be such a time - also for the Minister for Foreign Affairs and especially for Sweden's government.

Many important questions have been asked during this debate about the importance of a humanitarian and immediate ceasefire, about the importance of investigating the violations of international law in the war, and about the importance of Sweden stepping forward and showing leadership instead of cowering behind talking points about support for the two-state solution while in practice showing that one is actually doing everything except what is required to actually stand up for the two-state solution. It is what we do that matters, not just what we say.

Madam Speaker! Not a day goes by without me thinking of Amina, whom I met at Västbanken just over a year ago. With the help of Swedish aid, she runs a women's cooperative within agriculture and has significantly strengthened both the economic autonomy and the political power for the women in the village. This is Swedish aid that the government has decided shall not be paid out. On the question of why Amina should pay the price for Hamas's attack, I believe the Foreign Minister is the one who owes an answer.

When Tobias Billström looks back on his political career, does he want to be the Foreign Minister who, in the international community, did his utmost for international law and respect for human life, for an immediate ceasefire and for realistic steps towards a two-state solution – or does he want to be the Foreign Minister who hid behind empty talking points while the women of Gaza, under heavy bombardment, were forced into C-sections without anesthesia?

(Applause)

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Johan Büser (S)

Madam Speaker! This debate is slowly approaching its end, and I think it has been clear. We in the opposition have been clear towards the Foreign Minister regarding what we want to see.

To avoid any confusion: We Social Democrats have condemned Hamas's horrific attacks on October 7th in an extremely clear manner. I have personally, together with my party leader Magdalena Andersson, met with relatives of the hostages, and we demand an immediate release of these individuals. But the debate here today is about the fact that we differ in the efforts. From the Social Democrats' side, we are extremely clear that Sweden must clearly speak out regarding Israel's currently aggressive warfare, which affects innocent civilians, women, and children.

Our appeal to you, Foreign Minister Tobias Billström, in addition to giving you support to raise your voice and stand up for international law and for a two-state solution, is: Raise your voice not only in words in meetings with the EU committee or through proposals for positions! That is, we agree in many parts. Raise your voice, stand up for this and feel the support from our parties! I believe that the Foreign Minister can achieve a great deal by doing so, so that is our appeal here today.

International law must be the guiding star, and it must apply to everyone. It must apply equally. International law must show the way, and that also applies to the rights of the population of Gaza.

(Applause)

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

Lotta Johnsson Fornarve (V)

Madam Speaker! I want to begin by saying to Margareta Cederfelt that in my speech I was very clear in condemning Hamas's attack on October 7. Now, however, it is about the situation in Gaza.

The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. Thousands of people have been killed, of whom over 10,000 are children. I think it is a clear example that Israel has not defended or protected the civilian population. We also see that a famine catastrophe is imminent while people are being forced to flee. Hospitals, schools, and homes lie in ruins. In the extent that they function at all, hospitals lack resources and basic medicines and are unable to take care of all those who are injured and wounded.

The war must come to an end; that is the absolute primary concern, which we in the opposition have been clear about. Therefore, the government must act forcefully in various ways both in the UN and in the EU to achieve a swift ceasefire and put an end to the killing. I ask the minister: Does the minister intend to act to achieve a swift and permanent ceasefire?

Does the Minister intend to act to restore the important aid? It is aid that we know has only gone towards promoting democracy, human rights, development, and the rights of women and girls. Not a single krona has gone to Hamas or any other terrorist organization. Continuing to freeze the aid only benefits those forces that do not want to see a democratic development in Palestine.

(Applause)

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Azra Muranovic (S)

Madam Speaker! After hearing members Olsson and Cederfelt, I conclude that in a moderate world, we mind our own business and ignore others. If we have not created a conflict, it is not our problem to solve it or in any other way assist in reaching a peace negotiation. In a moderate world, civilian Palestinians and children must fend for themselves when a terrorist organization like Hamas commits the horrific crime that was committed on October 7.

I really hope that not the entire Moderate Party feels that way. One becomes terrified when hearing this.

The Foreign Minister says that the concern is growing more and more. I think this has reached its peak - a completely new level of historical shame. It is an almost international failure to protect. One is letting Israel run the rope out.

Despite my questions, the Foreign Minister has not answered. What is it that is being done in this intensive diplomatic contact? Which paths and tools have been used? What has the Foreign Minister done to bring forward a peace solution? How has he influenced the EU? How has he influenced Israel? How has he spoken with the Palestinians? How has he spoken with the neighborhood? What has been done? Why is Sweden so passive?

In my previous interpellation debate, in November, I asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs not to let us as Swedes be ashamed of this situation. Now I ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs again to act for real – not just to write words on paper but also to actually follow up on them and ensure that they are turned into action.

(Applause)

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Denis Begic (S)

Madam Speaker! It seems that the Moderate members are sitting on their ears and are not listening to what we say in this chamber. We have all - almost - condemned what has happened and the Hamas attack on October 7, but not with one word have the Moderates condemned that Gaza right now is the children's graveyard. Over 10,000 children have died. It is not us who are saying this, but it is Amnesty International who has looked at various allegations. In connection with nine airstrikes, Amnesty has found that Israel has bombed civilian targets at night. It is a direct war crime according to international law.

In one specific case, Israeli forces struck a residential house in the Gaza Strip, where 15 family members, including seven children, were killed. Survivors testify that no warnings came from the IDF. Amnesty could not find a single military target near the house.

These reports and allegations are very serious and highlight the need for independent investigations. This is what we have been talking about all along, and we hope that the Foreign Minister also wants such investigations to be carried out. Therefore, I say, just as my colleague Johan Büser, to the Foreign Minister that we stand behind him if he demands this in international law. We will support the minister when he demands that independent investigations be conducted in Gaza.

(Applause)

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Peter Hultqvist (S)

Madam Speaker! I think it is good to be able to state that we seem to be in agreement that everyone has distanced themselves from Hamas's terror attacks. It is a good clearing of the discussion and the debate.

Regarding what has been said, I would like to hear directly from the Minister for Foreign Affairs whether he is prepared to support strengthening the Palestinian authority in such a way that it can act as a good negotiating partner and has the strength required against the entire Israeli construction that exists in such a process.

We must keep in mind that Netanyahu has said no to a two-state solution. Israel has also, as a state, consistently undermined this solution throughout all the years, with the exception of when an agreement was written between Arafat and Rabin. When Rabin was then shot by an Israeli right-wing extremist, the entire peace process ceased.

I would also like to hear if the Foreign Minister thinks it is good that South Africa has gone to the International Court of Justice. I think it is absolutely excellent. I welcome South Africa's actions regarding this in all dimensions. What does the Foreign Minister think?

There was a strange point here earlier. It is not Tobias Billström who started the war. Which member of the opposition has even been involved in anything of the sort? It is such an unreasonable statement that it is hardly worth commenting on, but I am doing so anyway. This becomes a way to ridicule and trivialize this important issue, and it shows what quality some members on the Moderate side possess.

(Applause)

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Margareta Cederfelt (M)

Madam Speaker! I have been sitting here and listening to the ongoing debate. It is worrying and uncomfortable. I stand fully behind the statements of Foreign Minister Tobias Billström and my colleague Stefan Olsson.

Let me start by asking: When will you, from the opposition side, distance yourselves from Hamas and urge them to end their terror attacks? When will you urge them to release the hostages of 200 people? Some have been released, but there are still infants remaining. I have not heard a word about these being released.

On the government's website, there is exactly what Foreign Minister Tobias Billström has repeatedly stated very clearly: Israel has the right to defend itself against terrorism, civilians must be protected, humanitarian access is fundamental, regional escalation must be avoided, and sustainable peace is built with a two-state solution. What more do you demand than that the government clearly reports what is being done?

I would like to add one thing. From the opposition's side, you recognized Palestine, but what have you done after that to ensure that there will be peace in the region? What else have you done? What have you done to stop the terrorist organization Hamas?

I do not want to see any more small smirks, because this is about people who are dying. The Foreign Minister has said that the ICC shall investigate this, and that is exactly how it works in a constitutional state.

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Utrikesministern Tobias Billström (M)

Madam Speaker! During the debate, a number of questions have been raised regarding settler violence. Sweden and the EU view the intensified clashes between Israeli security forces and Palestinians in the West Bank with great concern. The tense situation in the West Bank, together with what is happening in Gaza, implies an increased risk of regional escalation.

It is central that Israel lives up to the requirements that international law places on the country. Deaths must be investigated and accountability must be ensured.

Settler violence has unfortunately escalated. Extremist settlers assault and harass Palestinians and vandalize their property, olive groves, and agricultural land. Palestinians in the West Bank are forced to leave their homes in violation of international law. Accountability for this is not functioning. Israel must now seriously address the unacceptable settler violence and cease the expansion of settlements.

The government welcomes further measures against settler violence from the EU side. Proposals for restrictive measures against extremist settlers, such as entry bans to Schengen and freezing of assets, have recently been presented and are now being processed at the working group level. This is something that is important, and it is something that the government also supports.

Madam Speaker! I have noted that South Africa has initiated proceedings against Israel before the International Court of Justice, ICJ, regarding alleged violations of the genocide convention. The International Court of Justice is the UN's principal judicial organ, and as I said, this is a court that all UN member states have to respect.

The Government has a restrictive attitude towards intervening in cases in international courts and does not intend to intervene in this case. The concept of genocide is defined, among other places, in the UN Genocide Convention of 1948 and in the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court of 1998. In this sense, it is a legal term with a clearly defined content. In addition to certain atrocities having been committed against a group, they must have been committed with the intent to completely or partially destroy the group as such. To find such criminal intent requires an assessment of evidence that judicial instances are best suited to perform.

For this reason, Swedish governments have had as a principle not to legally categorize events as genocide unless an international court or tribunal has first examined the issue.

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Ola Möller (S)

Madam Speaker! Here, it has been asked what the Swedish government could do. Jacob Risberg has clearly explained what obligations we have according to the genocide convention, so the government must act there already. But we can also unilaterally sanction the ministers who have said that the Gaza Strip should be atom bombed – which is also an admission that one possesses nuclear weapons, in violation of international agreements. One could also suspend the trade agreements that exist where it is stipulated that human rights and international humanitarian law shall be followed. One could also do what we previously did, namely provide development aid to support the Palestinian Authority.

But the risk is that it will be like in the latest Bamse film - and now here comes a spoiler alert. There, Krösus Sork has set out to clear the meadow, and the insects are holding a consultation. The insects talk and talk, but Bamse and Nalle-Maja decide to act and resolve the issue. The credits roll, and four months later the insects have come up with a resolution that they do not strongly distance themselves, but just distance themselves from the clearing. But Bamse and Nalle-Maja have already saved the meadow. That is where we stand. The Government - I am not comparing you to insects, but you understand the analogy - stands and waits for someone to condemn in four months.

Finally, I want to turn to all of you who are fighting on the streets and squares. You are fighting for peace, and no one should blame you for that. Keep going! It can never be wrong to stand up for peace and international law. Do not let yourselves be silenced by those who threaten and hate you and accuse you! You are the true heroes, not us who stand here with high salaries and speak on TV. It is you on the streets and squares who drive the peace issue. It is you I salute today.

(Applause)

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Håkan Svenneling (V)

Madam Speaker! I had hoped for a different tone today from the Minister for Foreign Affairs after Ekots Saturday interview, but unfortunately, we hear no other tone from the Minister for Foreign Affairs than the one we have heard so many times. It is fine that the Minister for Foreign Affairs has questions, but when do we hear criticism? When will Israel's ambassador be summoned? When will you utter words like violations of international law and war crimes? When will you direct sharp criticism towards Benjamin Netanyahu and his right-wing government?

Hostages must be freed; Hamas must release the hostages. But Israel's government has no focus on the hostages at all, and therefore the hostages' families are storming Israel's equivalent to the Riksdag, the Knesset. Netanyahu focuses instead on retaining power. Now Israel's government has started a forced displacement again, and just as the foreign minister notes, it violates international law. We then have a responsibility to stop this forced displacement. We must use our voices to ensure that there is no forced displacement of Palestinians.

A lasting peace between Israel and Palestine requires that Israel ends the illegal occupation, that the blockade of Gaza is ended, the wall is demolished and, above all, that it begins to respect human rights and the right to peace and freedom. Tobias Billström has a responsibility to be Sweden's voice and action, but we know from today's debate that the Foreign Minister does not take that responsibility. We from the opposition want to see more action and sharp words. We know that when the rest of the world exerts pressure it makes a difference, and it hopefully leads to people not being killed every day in Gaza.

(Applause)

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Lorena Delgado Varas (V)

Madam Speaker! The Palestinian people have no possibility of defending themselves and need international solidarity. Therefore, many of us demand action, and there are a number of actions available, for example when it comes to the weapons industry. The ten-year framework agreement with Elbit Systems was concluded on October 25, in the midst of the bombings and the killing of the Palestinian people. It is not a party to have agreements with. Elbit Systems has been flagged by international analysis firms for connections to controversial weapons, such as cluster munitions, which has led to several Swedish banks and fund managers divesting from the company. Elbit Systems also has operations in settlements. If the government does not want to participate in occupation and murder, it should therefore break the agreement.

Let me take this opportunity to conduct an analysis of the Palestinians' human value. It is sad but not surprising to see how governments, certain politicians, and the media place less value on the Palestinian people's right to live a dignified life. It can be compared to Ukraine, where the EU and Sweden have seen no obstacles in adopting sanctions and talking about reconstruction. But Palestinian lives do not weigh as heavily; instead, it is completely okay for Palestinians to live under occupation, for children and adults to be imprisoned without trial, for them to live in an apartheid system with torture and rape, and for them to be forced to live under different laws and behind walls. No, Sweden must examine itself.

Thanks to the activists who came today!

(Applause)

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Utrikesministern Tobias Billström (M)

Madam Speaker! I thank the interveners and everyone else who has participated in today's important debate.

The government believes, just like the EU, in dialogue and considers that a good bilateral relationship with Israel, where we can both speak about deepened cooperation and convey criticism in difficult issues, is the way forward. A boycott of or sanctions against Israel would be the wrong way to go.

Stefan Olsson asked about the government's commitment to the two-state solution. Yesterday's discussion in Brussels at the Council of Foreign Ministers, with both Israel and the Palestinian Authority present at the table, is an expression of the EU's ambition to conduct a dialogue with both parties. However, it needs to be deepened and take place together with both the USA and the Arab League, even though parts of the Arab League, including the Secretary-General, were also involved in the various meetings in Brussels yesterday.

Regarding the two-state solution, I was very clear in the Saturday interview referred to here that it is the only reasonable solution the government sees ahead of it and that no representative has the right to dismiss the two-state solution.

I also want to emphasize that the work against antisemitism is a high priority for the government and has become even more urgent since Hamas's terrorist attack on October 7, because we have seen an exponential increase in antisemitic acts and statements as well as distortions and denials of the Holocaust. The government will take a firm stand against antisemitism, and this naturally also includes the important work of securing the remembrance of the Holocaust and promoting Jewish life both nationally and internationally.

We must not forget the polarization that this conflict has led to and which affects innocent people even in our country.

Thank you for an interesting and important debate!

The interpellations debate was hereby concluded.

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