Response to interpellations 2024/25:701 and 703 on the war in Gaza and Sweden's actions

Utrikesministern Maria Malmer Stenergard (M)

Mr. Speaker! Håkan Svenneling has asked me if I condemn Israel's war against Gaza in its entirety, if I consider that Israel lives up to the requirements for respect for human rights as set out in the association agreement between the EU and Israel, and if I am prepared to work for an end to all Swedish arms trade with Israeli companies. Svenneling has also asked how I will act to ensure that Israel allows humanitarian aid to reach the people of Gaza and what other measures I am prepared to take to persuade Israel to abandon its plans to take control of Gaza.

Furthermore, Daniel Vencu Velasquez Castro has asked whether Sweden will join the demands to freeze the association agreement between the EU and Israel if the government considers that war crimes are occurring in Gaza, and whether I consider the government's actions sufficient to safeguard international law and the human rights of Palestinians. Vencu Velasquez Castro has also asked whether I share the UN Secretary-General's view that UNRWA is an important part of the UN's humanitarian and rights-based work and that its continued operations are crucial for stability in the Middle East.

What is unfolding in Gaza is a humanitarian catastrophe. It is unacceptable that Israel for more than two months did not let in any humanitarian aid to the civilian population and that the aid that is now reaching through is completely insufficient. It is difficult to see that Israel is living up to its obligations under international humanitarian law. A ceasefire is needed and immediate, safe, and lasting humanitarian access. The government also continues to demand that all remaining hostages be released – immediately and unconditionally.

We have repeatedly, in our conversations with Israeli government representatives, demanded that unimpeded humanitarian access and distribution be ensured in accordance with humanitarian principles. We now emphasize this and welcome that the EU Commission conducts a review of the Israeli government's compliance with the part of the association agreement between the EU and Israel concerning respect for human rights. Within the EU, Sweden is also pushing for the introduction of EU sanctions against extremist ministers who push for an illegal settlement policy and actively oppose a future two-state solution.

Nor neither can the Israeli government's expanded military offensive with extensive forced displacements of the civilian population be reconciled with the requirements of international law. The government has been clear that the territory of Gaza must not be changed, reduced, or annexed. Any potential steps in such a direction would violate international law and will be condemned by Sweden. The same applies if the whole or parts of the civilian population were to be displaced from Gaza.

It is important that violations of international law, and possible war crimes, are investigated and that accountability is demanded. All parties have an obligation to investigate violations of international humanitarian law and to hold those responsible accountable. This obligation is part of international humanitarian law, which the government has consistently urged all parties to respect. Both the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice have ongoing investigations concerning the current situation. The government supports the courts and their independence.

The Government safeguards the ability of the UN and international actors to operate unhindered both in Palestine and the Middle East as well as in other places around the world. Sweden expects that UNRWA, in line with other UN organizations, be protected and respected in accordance with international obligations. We have been clear in our criticism of the laws regarding UNRWA that entered into force in Israel in January. In our own contacts, together with other Nordic countries and as the EU, we have urged Israel to ensure continued humanitarian access for UNRWA and other UN organizations.

Sweden procures defense products in accordance with the procurement legislation that is common for the entire EU. It is the contracting authority that awards contracts. In Sweden's case, it is usually Försvarets materielverk and Försvarsmakten.

Sweden has a restrictive view on the export of war materiel to Israel. In practice, no permits have been granted since the 1950s, with the exception of follow-on deliveries of such materiel that were not considered war materiel in the original transaction. It is the Inspectorate for Strategic Products, ISP, that is the competent supervisory and licensing authority for the export of war materiel. No export permit for sale has been issued by ISP since October 2023.

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

Håkan Svenneling (V)

Mr. Speaker! I have requested this interpellation debate with the Minister for Foreign Affairs on the grounds of the utterly appalling situation that people in Gaza are living in. It is a Gaza that is completely characterized by devastation and death. For every human being, every day is a struggle to survive. It is a struggle that has been ongoing for over 19 months, where both starvation and bombs daily lead to people's deaths.

Actually, I had wished for a specific debate on Gaza. All parties have a responsibility to state what they think we should do to save the people of Gaza. Unfortunately, that request was rejected by the Speaker. In a similar way, we have seen how the right-wing majority has opposed a public seminar in the Foreign Affairs Committee.

It is important that the Swedish people see that there is a political commitment in Sweden's Riksdag for Gaza and for saving human lives. Outside of this Riksdag, the commitment is very high. This weekend, tens of thousands of people demonstrated in a national mobilization for Gaza. Committed people traveled from all over the country, for example from my hometown Karlstad, to make their voices heard here in Stockholm. Unfortunately, people do not feel that the government and the Foreign Minister are listening, even though one has been able to perceive a marginal sharpening in the Foreign Minister's language recently.

It is not only the Swedish government that is deaf to the will and desire of the citizens. The Israeli right-wing government, which in many parts is far-right, under the leadership of Benjamin Netanyahu, exhibits a senseless ruthlessness towards the people in Gaza, towards the Israelis who are hostages of Hamas and towards their families. It exhibits ruthlessness towards all who want to live in peace and reconciliation.

This famine has not arisen because harvests have failed or through any natural disaster. The famine in Gaza is due to the fact that Israeli politicians in Israel's far-right government have decided to stop all aid from reaching and thereby created famine. It is obvious that a genocide is taking place in Gaza, and the International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with several others.

Tonight, the ship with emergency aid to Gaza that Greta Thunberg was on, along with other activists, was boarded. Now the Foreign Minister must act immediately to protect the boat Madleen, Greta Thunberg, and the other international activists who were abducted by the Israeli military when they were trying to reach the besieged Gaza with humanitarian aid.

In my interpellation to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, I requested answers to several questions. These concern different types of questions where Sweden can act and make a difference to save Palestinian lives. I think the Minister for Foreign Affairs prefers to appear powerless, but Sweden as a country can, through powerful action together with other countries, stop the genocide, save lives, and hold those who have committed crimes accountable.

Therefore, I wonder, among other things, if the Minister condemns Israel's war against Gaza in its entirety. I also wonder if the government will work to ensure that the association agreement between the EU and Israel is suspended. This will be decided shortly.

Will the export of Swedish red dot sights to Israel from the Swedish company Aimpoint be classified as an export of war materiel and thereby be stopped? And how will the minister act to ensure that Israel allows humanitarian aid to reach the Gaza Strip?

These questions, and many more, I believe this debate will touch upon.

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

Daniel Vencu Velasquez Castro (S)

Mr. Speaker! I thank the Minister for Foreign Affairs for the answer.

I want to assert that Israel has crossed all conceivable boundaries in its attacks in Gaza. Up to 60,000 have been killed. Healthcare workers and UN personnel have been killed. A collective punishment of Gaza's civilian population is taking place that we have not seen in modern times.

The international community as a whole must act through condemnations and sanctions but also by using other tools at its disposal, for example by freezing trade agreements with Israel. It is as Olof Palme so excellently said: International law is our first line of defense. I believe that these are words we must remind [others] of. I also believe that we must remind ourselves of them. International law is what defends small and medium-sized states, such as Sweden. Right now, Israel violates it every single day.

I think it is good that Sweden's government has complied with the opposition. For over a year, we have demanded that sanctions be introduced against Israeli ministers, that humanitarian support to Gaza be increased, that a ceasefire be pursued, and that efforts be made to freeze the EU's trade agreement with Israel.

Everyone can see Israel's war crimes in Gaza, but we talk very little about the war crimes occurring in the West Bank. We have seen how extreme settlers have attacked and killed Palestinians, protected by the Israeli military. Up to 40,000 Palestinians have been displaced from their homes. Unhindered, they push forward, claim more land, and deepen the illegal occupation that has been ongoing for almost 60 years.

The Palestinian state is being undermined, and the world appears helpless as war crimes occur before our eyes. If we do not act, we will all be complicit in the worst imaginable crimes and in one of history's perhaps greatest tragedies. It is therefore important that Sweden acts and condemns the war crimes as well as joins, among other things, Spain's and Ireland's initiative to freeze the trade agreements. Right now, a review is underway, but there is nothing that says one cannot freeze the trade agreements while that review is ongoing.

I believe it is obvious to everyone listening to this debate and who has been involved in this issue that the pressure that has been put on Israel has not worked particularly well. Israel has continued. What has happened is rather that countries have accepted Israel's constant violations of international law.

I want to highlight UNRWA as an example. UNRWA is the largest aid organization in Gaza, but it is much more than that. UNRWA stands for the infrastructure that Palestinian refugees depend on, because they do not have a fully functioning state that is allowed to provide what the citizens need. It is about school, education and primary care, but it is also about direct humanitarian support.

Right now, Sweden is distinguishing itself in the world. According to UNRWA, Sweden is the only EU country that has actively withdrawn support for the organization. All other aid organizations that Sweden provides support to say that UNRWA is the most important organization on the ground to ensure that Palestinians receive the help they need.

Therefore, I want to ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs: When UNRWA says that it can continue to operate on the ground, despite the fact that Israel has banned the organization, why is the government still withholding support? And if Israel were to lift the ban on UNRWA, would the government then immediately resume the support?

Finally, I would like to ask if the Minister for Foreign Affairs will listen to the UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini and invite him to Sweden to let him explain how Swedish support can be used in an effective way.

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

Stefan Olsson (M)

Mr. Speaker! I would like to begin by thanking the interpellants and the Minister for their contributions, which clarify the different positions that exist regarding Sweden's actions concerning the war in Gaza. I would, however, like to contribute some clarifications and also pose a couple of questions to the interpellants.

Regarding the interpellation from Håkan Svenneling, I would like to ask him to clarify how he means that Israel is committing genocide. I have heard the member use this word many times. He seems confident in his position – Israel is committing exactly genocide and not just war crimes.

The concept of genocide is significantly stronger than all other concepts and aims to describe what is perhaps the worst of all crimes that humans can commit against one another. The most well-known example of genocide is the Holocaust, when Nazi Germany murdered millions of people, mainly Jews, in concentration camps. Another well-known example is Rwanda, where the leaders of the Hutus urged their followers to kill everyone in the other ethnic group in the country, that is to say the Tutsis.

The legal definition of genocide is established in the UN Genocide Convention, which Member Svenneling is familiar with. The convention clearly states that there must be an intent from the attacker's side to exterminate a specific ethnic group for it to be a matter of genocide.

Even though I, just like the Foreign Minister, am critical of Israel's way of waging war in Gaza, I wonder if it is a question of genocide. Is that what the member means that Israel is doing? Does he mean that from Israel's side, one goes from house to house in Gaza and kills every individual Palestinian – men, women and children – that one finds? Is this Svenniling's view of what is happening in Gaza?

Mr. Speaker! Member Daniel Vencu has asked questions regarding the UN refugee agency for Palestinians, UNRWA. Sweden has chosen to channel its humanitarian aid to Gaza through other organizations during 2025, and this is something the Social Democrats are critical of. But what do the Social Democrats actually want to do instead? I find that to be a bit unclear. They want the support for UNRWA to be resumed, but how?

It is not that the government would have reduced the humanitarian support to Gaza. On the contrary, the government has doubled the appropriation and furthermore directed it specifically to Gaza. That was not how the previous support was designed. During 2024, Sweden gave 451 million kronor to UNRWA. The very largest part, 400 million kronor, was a so-called core support, an unspecified appropriation to the organization.

UNRWA does not only have operations in Gaza but is also present in the West Bank, in Lebanon, in Syria and in Jordan. As Member Vencu mentioned, the organization works with many different things, such as schools and healthcare. Work is also done on the infrastructure in the Palestinian refugee camps. That includes waste collection. Is it this general support for, among other things, waste collection in Jordan that the Member means should be addressed now? I do not think that is how he intends it. Therefore, I would like to ask the Member to elaborate more on what type of support he means that UNRWA should perform in that case.

The government has instead chosen a smarter and more flexible model, I believe. The support has doubled and now amounts to around 800 million kronor, and it is flexible.

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

Alexandra Völker (S)

Mr. Speaker! Appropriately, it is precisely UNRWA that I intend to focus on in my contribution.

It is no one from the opposition side who questions that the organizations that the government provides funds to perform important work and are needed. What we criticize is that the government gives with one hand but takes with the other. Support has been withdrawn from the organization that provides the entire infrastructure.

It is not only us in the opposition who are saying this, but also the organizations themselves, those who actually receive the government's support. The World Food Programme, for example, has been clear that UNRWA's support is critical to reach everyone in need. Last week, Diakonia, Médecins Sans Frontières, Oxfam Sverige, Plan International Sverige, and Rädda Barnen made a joint statement. Since what we in the opposition say tends to be dismissed right now, I intend to let the organizations speak by reading out their statement.

"We appeal to the government to resume support to UNRWA as soon as possible and want to emphasize why:"

UNRWA has for a long time been the largest humanitarian actor in Gaza and has contributed to other organizations being able to work on the ground. They are the backbone of the humanitarian infrastructure in Gaza and no other single organization, including other UN organizations, can take over or replace UNRWA's work. The situation for the civilian population in Gaza is catastrophic and now donors and international actors must act together to protect UNRWA's vital operations. Without UNRWA, the humanitarian system in Gaza risks collapsing, which would mean even more suffering and death, which could be prevented.

It is only Sweden and the USA that have ended their aid to UNRWA, in contrast to Germany, the United Kingdom and France which have chosen to take a different path and stand up for UNRWA. Germany recently increased its allocation to UNRWA. Even though other donors have increased their allocations to UNRWA, it does not cover the large deficit created when the USA and Sweden withdrew their support. In 2023, Sweden was the fifth largest donor to UNRWA, with support amounting to approximately 480 million kronor. … A resumed Swedish aid can make a big difference.

The Israeli parliament's adoption of legislation prohibiting UNRWA from operating (in Israel, Gaza, and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem) has restricted and hindered the organization's work. Despite this, UNRWA continues to carry out its mission in Gaza and the West Bank. Daily, its medical teams provide primary care to more than 16,000 people. Schools, clinics, and shelters continue to function, even though most have been destroyed or converted during the siege.

"When UNRWA's conditions to help the civilian population are worsened or completely stopped, the consequence is that more people, including many children, suffer and die. It also worsens the possibilities for us and other humanitarian organizations to effectively deliver the emergency aid required to those living in the midst of an unimaginable catastrophe."

The statement was published on June 2, 2025, that is, one week ago.

We must act to prevent a genocide. Does the government intend, in accordance with what these organizations are pleading for, to resume support for UNRWA?

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

Utrikesministern Maria Malmer Stenergard (M)

Mr. Speaker! Sweden does far more than many other countries when it comes to the situation in the Middle East, but it seems the opposition deliberately chooses not to hear it. We are one of the countries in the world that provides the most support to Gaza, both nominally and per capita. But if one were to turn on the TV and listen to this debate, it might perhaps appear in a different way. It is clear that the opposition has a purpose with that. I can only regret it.

In December, the government decided to allocate 800 million kronor to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the region. Last week, we decided to allocate an additional 10 million to Save the Children's operations in Gaza. Sweden also contributes personnel to the civil EU mission EU BAM Rafah, which stands ready to resume its work as soon as possible and which is also very important for Gaza. The mission is an important part of the EU's efforts to support a sustainable political solution.

Since the beginning of the war, Sweden has contributed over 1 billion kronor to meet the acute and enormous needs of the civilian population in Gaza. We intend to mobilize further. The terrible developments of recent times mean, as I have described, that we are sharpening the tone further from the government's side. It is also why we have stood behind a review of whether Israel lives up to the requirements for respect for human rights that are established in the association agreement between the EU and Israel. I do not know how many times I have stood in this chamber's rostrum and explained this: Now we are conducting the review, and there is far from a consensus behind it. When we receive the result of it, we can take a position on the next step. I cannot anticipate the result now.

We are also pushing to introduce EU sanctions against extremist ministers. It is an issue that unfortunately does not have particularly great support in the EU. We are one of quite few countries that stand behind this at all, but it does not sound quite like that in the opposition either.

Sweden has been very critical of the decisions made by the Knesset which, in practice, prohibit UNRWA from operating. When I met representatives of the organization on site at West Bank, they were very concerned that their international staff members were not having their visas extended. This makes it more difficult to manage and lead the organization. The Minister for Development Cooperation and Trade and I have met Lazzarini. The Minister for Development Cooperation and Trade naturally continues to speak about him and about our extensive support to the region.

Regarding the question of genocide, I would like to refer to my colleague Stefan Olsson but also add that there is a tradition in Sweden, regardless of the government's color, of not taking a position on that question, which is very difficult, just as Stefan Olsson says, until one has a ruling from an international court. On the other hand, we have an obligation to prevent genocide. It is also for that reason that we repeatedly and in a very clear way urge Israel to allow humanitarian access.

When it comes to the question of war crimes, it is difficult to see that Israel would live up to its obligations in accordance with international humanitarian law. It is completely unacceptable that for more than two months no humanitarian aid was allowed in and that what is now being allowed in is completely insufficient, as I said in my first post. Nor can the expanded military offensive with extensive forced displacements of the civilian population be reconciled with the requirements of international law. The government has been clear that Gaza's territory may not be changed, reduced, or annexed, which would contravene international law. The same applies if the whole or parts of the civilian population were to be displaced from Gaza.

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

Håkan Svenneling (V)

Mr. Speaker! The Israeli government's so-called security cabinet decided on May 4 that the ongoing offensive in Gaza should be expanded. This involves, among other things, the mobilization of tens of thousands of military personnel, so-called reservists. The plan is, according to Israeli media, to conquer Gaza and hold the territories for an indefinite period.

Israel's far-right minister Bezalel Smotrich has said: We will stop being afraid to use the word occupation. According to reports, the plans are to gather Gaza's hard-hit civilian population in the southern parts of Gaza in a packed center.

Is this a genocide or not? It is very obvious that through starvation and military attacks directed at the blocked Gaza, which has been blocked for 20 years, one is targeting the Palestinian population that exists there.

I have not taken this out of thin air. It is Amnesty, Doctors Without Borders, Human Rights Watch, the UN's special experts, as well as Ireland and Spain who have stated that a genocide is taking place.

The Foreign Minister was nevertheless pointing out that Responsibility to Protect, the responsibility and obligation to protect against genocide, is part of our mandate. Regardless of how we choose to define it, we have a responsibility to counteract the occurrence of genocide.

Mr. Speaker! As I mentioned in my first contribution, the boat Madleen was boarded tonight during its attempt to reach Gaza with emergency aid. I therefore wonder if the Minister for Foreign Affairs will demand that the boat Madleen and its crew be released, if the Minister for Foreign Affairs demands respect for the activists' right to safe passage in accordance with international law, if one actively protects Greta Thunberg from any abuses from the Israeli side, and if one publicly declares support for humanitarian efforts and civil aid reaching Gaza and condemns every attempt to stop this with violence.

Mr. Speaker! The Minister for Foreign Affairs also chose to travel to Israel, which she was advocating for, after Israel broke the ceasefire in Gaza. In its communication following the Minister's visit, the Israeli government highlighted the Minister and Sweden as a good example, as the Swedish government has stopped all support to the UN agency UNRWA, which has been responsible for the healthcare and education of Palestinian refugees since 1948. I wonder how the Minister views being used in Israeli propaganda.

During the past long weekend, some kind of quarrel occurred on social media. The Foreign Minister, together with his colleague the Development Minister, is obviously annoyed that it is written in the media that only Sweden and the USA have completely stopped payments to UNRWA. They are trying to portray it as if they are doing a lot by providing support to other aid organizations in Gaza.

The problem for the minister, however, is reality. Even though other countries have directed harsh criticism towards UNRWA, financial support has nevertheless continued to be provided to the organization, and previously promised payments that had been frozen have been resumed. In the Netherlands, for example, which has been mentioned by the Foreign Minister himself in the debate, it has been decided to scale down the support in the longer term. But at the same time, large sums have been paid out to UNRWA this year.

Why is it so important that Sweden now supports UNRWA? The organization risks being left completely without funds as early as this summer. It will have consequences not only in Gaza, but the government's policy also affects Palestinian children in the West Bank, in Lebanon, in Syria and in Jordan.

UNRWA is, as we have heard, the largest organization and the one with the strongest local presence. To support UNRWA is also to provide political support through UN resolutions 194 and 302 regarding the Palestinians' right to healthcare and education and the right to return.

Israel's policy is about undermining these resolutions. It is a position that I unfortunately believe is the actual reason why the Swedish right-wing government does not want to support UNRWA.

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

Daniel Vencu Velasquez Castro (S)

Mr. Speaker! I also want to raise the issue of UNRWA and the debate that has taken place over the long weekend regarding whether Sweden would be the only EU country or not. There seems to be a disagreement at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. It was first said that there were six other EU countries that had withdrawn their support. Then the Foreign Minister said there were three others.

In any case, there is uncertainty in the Swedish government as to how many countries it is or not. But it actually doesn't matter, Mr. Speaker. I do not care so much about what other EU countries do. I am a Member of Parliament in Sweden. I demand that Sweden resumes support to UNRWA, which is the single most important organization for Palestinian refugees right now.

We are talking about up to 60,000 dead Palestinians. We are talking about people who are displaced to southern Gaza to receive humanitarian aid, and then they are shot at. It is a horrific development. We do not need to stand here and divide over which EU countries have done what. I demand that Sweden's government now resumes the support to UNRWA. That is the demand that we Social Democrats have set.

We can also observe that the government has had a very strange attitude if it is indeed the case that one actually supports a two-state solution. It becomes very strange to sit and say that we are trying to score domestic political points and that we would have other purposes than to protect Palestinian lives. It is about Israel ending an illegal occupation that has lasted far too long.

Mr. Speaker! If we look at the government's actions, we can see that the first thing they did after October 7 was withdraw support for the democratic movement in Palestine. That is perhaps the greatest resistance to Hamas. Then it took quite a long time for the government to demand a ceasefire. Tobias Billström said in December in this chamber that Israel had the right to defend itself, and that it was not currently relevant to comment on a ceasefire. At that time, there were 6,000 dead.

One has abstained from voting in the UN on an end to Israel's illegal occupation. Now, one is withdrawing support for UNRWA. One has still not condemned the war crimes in Gaza and the West Bank. Furthermore, one has stopped financing the escort program, which primarily protects Palestinian children from extreme settlers. That program, one has completely stopped financing.

We also have a Prime Minister who orders wine from occupied territory when he has dinner invitations. We must not trade with goods from occupied territory, Mr. Speaker. It undermines the two-state solution. It undermines the Palestinian state.

As I said in my previous post, it is good that the government has become sharper in its criticism. But I can also state that it took up to 60,000 dead for that to happen.

I will therefore return to what Håkan Svenneling raised regarding the UN principle of Responsibility to Protect. One has committed to preventing genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing, and crimes against humanity. Based on the examples I have raised earlier, I argue that Sweden has unfortunately failed to do so.

What we are seeing right now is among the worst crimes. We have a Minister for Foreign Affairs and a Minister for Development Cooperation who seem to be more interested in what other EU countries are doing than in taking action themselves. I find that remarkable.

We demand that support for UNRWA be resumed, that pressure be exerted to freeze the trade agreement with Israel, and that the war crimes we are made aware of every day be condemned.

Sweden's voice in the world is too low. It will be a stain on history that we did not do more to prevent war crimes and did not put all our strength into preventing a genocide.

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

Stefan Olsson (M)

Mr. Speaker! I note that Member Svenneling does not intend to back down in his choice of language where he calls the war in Gaza a genocide. It is a pity. It is possible to be a severe critic of Israel but use other types of terms. The Social Democrats do not call the war a genocide but speak of war crimes.

The Left Party has recently had a dull history where representatives of the Left Party have unfortunately participated in demonstrations where there have been obvious antisemites. It is sad that the Left Party holds on to the extreme rhetoric.

I know member Svenneling quite well by this point and know that he is not exactly an extremist. But it is a pity that his party has gone in that direction.

When it comes to UNRWA, the question is whether it is only this organization that can receive humanitarian aid. No, not at all. We can give money directly to Unicef or World Food Programme. That is also what the government has done.

It is also often said that Sweden is one of the largest donors to UNRWA, and therefore the entire UNRWA would stand or fall with Sweden withdrawing its money.

I reviewed what UNRWA's funding looked like before the war in 2023. I could state that the organization's total budget was 1.47 billion dollars, where Sweden accounted for 48.9 million dollars. That is approximately 470 million kronor at today's exchange rate.

If you divide 470 by 5.9 – there are 5.9 million registered Palestinian refugees with UNRWA – you land on the figure of 80 kronor per refugee and full year, of which a large part of the money would go to waste collection in Jordan. This cannot be anything that really matters for how we alleviate distress in Gaza.

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

Alexandra Völker (S)

Mr. Speaker! It is actually with horror that I listen to the Foreign Minister's answer here today. The Foreign Minister is absolutely right that we in the opposition have a purpose, but contrary to what the Foreign Minister claims, that purpose is not to score political points. That we week after week stand here in the chamber and raise the question of resuming support for UNRWA is because the situation is acute. Resuming support for UNRWA is a decision that the government has the opportunity to make here and now, today.

That the government does not listen to the opposition is perhaps not so surprising, but that one does not listen to the organizations operating on the ground in Gaza – that is utterly astonishing. The organizations are pleading with the government. They are extremely clear: Without UNRWA, the humanitarian system in Gaza risks collapsing. This would mean even more suffering and death, which could be prevented. This is how the organizations operating in Gaza, those who receive the government's support today, express themselves. They are crystal clear. Why does the government not listen?

The government has the opportunity to act here and now. One has the opportunity to resume support to UNRWA and help prevent loss of life here and now. We must act with all the strength we have to prevent a genocide in Gaza.

(Applause)

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

Utrikesministern Maria Malmer Stenergard (M)

Mr. Speaker! As I have said before, it is difficult to see that Israel is now living up to its special obligations under international humanitarian law. To deliberately block food and other aid to civilians is completely unjustifiable, and likewise to use aid for military or political purposes.

The reports that people in need of emergency aid have been killed and injured on several occasions near a distribution point in Rafah are also appalling. The incidents must be investigated immediately and those responsible held accountable.

It is good that both the ICC and the ICJ have ongoing investigations into the situation. It is important that violations of international law and possible war crimes are investigated and that accountability is demanded in orderly ways.

We mean that the hostilities in Gaza must come to a lasting end, and we demand that Israel takes its responsibility according to international law. We must also demand that Hamas immediately and unconditionally release the hostages, which we also do. Hamas cannot have a place in a future government of Gaza. We must also not forget, which many do in the debate, that Hamas bears an enormous responsibility for the suffering that we see in Gaza.

We want to see a united Gaza and West Bank under the leadership of a reformed Palestinian authority. Those who are informed also know that we assist the Palestinian Authority in several different ways so that it can build up its capacity and be able to become a credible party in a two-state solution. Therefore, I take exception to insinuations and formulations that it would be questionable whether the government supports a two-state solution. It is completely obvious that we do.

When it comes to UNRWA, it is not us who are talking about other countries in Europe. I read a debate article over the weekend written by none other than Magdalena Andersson, where she writes that no other country in the EU except Sweden has chosen not to give support to UNRWA. That is not true. There are five other countries in the EU that do not give support to UNRWA. I think it is beyond all criticism that Magdalena Andersson deliberately lies in Svenska Dagbladet.

I can also point out that of these five countries, three provided support in 2023 and no longer provide any support and have thus terminated their support.

Finally, I have received questions about the ship Madleen. We are aware that the ship and the passengers have been stopped and, according to information, are to be transported to the port of Ashdod. The crew and passengers on Madleen are aware of the risks with the campaign. UD has advised against travel to Gaza for ten years. One has a clear personal responsibility if one defies this advice, which I have also been very clear about in many different contexts.

The government's assessment at the current time is that no one on board is in danger and that, therefore, there is no need for consular support at the current time. However, we and the embassy in Tel Aviv are in contact with local authorities and are following the situation closely. Should a need for consular support arise, we will assess how we can best provide assistance.

However, I want to highlight the campaign that has been started where the Ministry for Foreign Affairs is being called to a very large extent and thereby also blocking calls from others who are in urgent need of consular emergency assistance. I view this very seriously and that one is thus risking blocking those who truly need help.

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

Håkan Svenneling (V)

Mr. Speaker! I submitted this interpellation because Sweden must do more to save lives in Gaza. I am somewhat concerned that the government does not hear that we are not criticizing what is being done, but rather we are criticizing how it is being done and, above all, what is not being done.

I have not heard the Foreign Minister condemn Israel's war in Gaza in its entirety. Even though she is concerned, she is stuck in old talking points. We also do not hear that the government is clear that it wants to stop the export of the red-point items that occur from Swedish companies to the Israeli military and to settlers.

When it comes to the association agreement between the EU and Israel, it is good that the government is now in favor of a review. From the opposition's side, we demanded this already a year ago. It does not in itself constitute real action, but it can lead to the agreement being suspended. Already this month, the foreign ministers in the EU will meet, and then Sweden must show clarity and decisiveness.

You are welcome to ignore us as the opposition if you wish. But do not ignore all the Swedish and foreign aid organizations that make the same demands as we do, that is, that the Swedish government needs to support UNRWA! It is still UNRWA that is the backbone of the humanitarian support to Gaza, and it is UNRWA that operates throughout the region providing Palestinians with healthcare and education in accordance with UN resolutions.

I also think it is good that we are informed that consular support can be provided to Greta Thunberg and the other activists who have traveled to Gaza to draw attention to the humanitarian situation and have tried to provide assistance to Gaza's severely tested population.

I hope that the marginal shift we have seen from the government's side now during late spring becomes a bit more than a marginal change and that we seriously join the international community and stop the genocide that I believe is occurring in Gaza.

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

Daniel Vencu Velasquez Castro (S)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you for the debate!

I would still like to remind that UNRWA is the largest aid organization for Palestinian refugees. As we have mentioned, UNRWA provides education, primary care, and infrastructure because there is no fully functioning state that can take care of the Palestinian citizens.

That, as Member Stefan Olsson, equates this with waste collection and almost makes a fool of himself over UNRWA's activities, I find remarkable. I am actually astonished that one does so in the situation that currently prevails. Just yesterday, 40 Palestinians and one UN employee died.

We appeal to the Swedish government, as Håkan Svenneling also mentioned, to resume the support for UNRWA. If you do not obey us in the opposition, obey the organizations that are appealing for the support to be resumed!

The Minister for Foreign Affairs is completely right: Sweden is one of the largest donors of humanitarian aid to Gaza. But it is a matter of giving to the right organization, the organization that can ensure that the support reaches the Palestinian refugees.

The Foreign Minister should be more focused on what Sweden specifically can do. We appeal to Sweden's government. How other governments act at the EU level is their own business. We will clearly mark our position against them, but the one I can influence in this chamber is Sweden's government. We do not need to discuss other EU countries. What we can discuss is what Sweden's government intends to do. Will the support for UNRWA be resumed? If UNRWA themselves say that they can operate despite the ban, why does the government not resume the support to UNRWA?

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

Utrikesministern Maria Malmer Stenergard (M)

Mr. Speaker! To begin with, I must say that there has been an incredible amount of focus on UNRWA and only UNRWA from some of the debaters in this debate. I want to remind that we have a Minister for Development Cooperation who one can also turn to if it is precisely UNRWA that one wants to focus on.

I note that the government, contrary to what the opposition wants to give the impression of, is doing very much. We are one of the largest donors in the entire world of humanitarian aid to Gaza. We are pushing for sanctions against extremist settlers and have also succeeded in getting that through at the EU level. Now we are pushing for sanctions against extremist ministers, which places us at the forefront in the EU. We have also stood behind a review of the association agreement.

I must say that I am deeply concerned that we have an opposition leader in the form of Magdalena Andersson who deliberately lies in the media. The Social Democrats are fueling a conflict that has its roots in the Middle East, which goes back many decades and which should never have been brought to Swedish streets and squares. That polarization, that hatred, those threats, that disinformation and that antisemitism that we see is exactly what Hamas wants. If one contributes to it, history will judge you.

The interpellation debate was hereby concluded.

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