JERUSALEM: The Israeli foreign ministry yesterday summoned Sweden’s ambassador to protest over Stockholm’s declared intention to recognise a Palestinian state.
Ambassador Carl Magnus Nesser was called in by the ministry’s deputy director general for Europe, Aviv Shir-On, who “protested and expressed Israel’s disappointment” after Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Loefven announced his intention to recognise a Palestinian state, the ministry said. Shir-On warned that such a move would “not contribute to the relations between Israel and the Palestinians, but in fact worsen them.”
The premier’s remarks “diminish the chances of reaching an agreement, since they create among the Palestinians an unfeasible expectation of being able to reach their goal unilaterally and not through negotiations with Israel,” he added.
Israel has long insisted that the Palestinians can only receive their promised state through direct negotiations and not through other diplomatic channels.
He said the newly-elected Swedish premier’s decision to focus on the Palestinian issue was “strange” given the turmoil, wars and “daily acts of horror” taking place in the region.
The Swedish embassy in Israel did not comment on the meeting, which took place three days after Loefven’s announcement during his inaugural address to parliament.AFP
