Israel blasts Swedish FM for 'supporting terrorism, encouraging violence'

Wallstrom called on Tuesday for an investigation to determine if Israel was guilty of extrajudicial killings of Palestinians during the recent wave of violence, local media reported.

By HERB KEINON
Updated: JANUARY 13, 2016 05:26
Wallstrom and Netanyahu (photo credit: REUTERS,ABIR SULTAN / POOL / AFP)
Wallstrom and Netanyahu
(photo credit: REUTERS,ABIR SULTAN / POOL / AFP)
Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallström is supporting terrorism and encouraging violence, the Foreign Ministry said Tuesday in a sharply worded statement, after she once again attacked Israel in Sweden’s parliament.
Wallström on Tuesday called for an investigation to determine if Israel was guilty of extrajudicial killings of Palestinians during the recent wave of violence, local media reported.
“It is vital that there is a thorough, credible investigation into these deaths in order to clarify and bring about possible accountability,” she said during a parliamentary debate, according to news agency TT.
The Foreign Ministry issued a statement saying that her “irresponsible and delirious statements are giving support to terrorism and encouraging violence.”
Science, Technology and Space Minister Ophir Akunis said an investigation should be conducted instead on “how a woman who so bluntly hates Israel was elected, and still holds the role of foreign minister of Sweden.”
This is just the latest of the Swedish diplomat’s remarks that has angered Israel and further soured ties between the two countries.
Wallström made similar accusations of “extrajudicial executions” and “disproportionate” use of force in the Swedish parliament last month, comments that led to a call from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to his Swedish counterpart Stefan Löfven to protest her words.
And following the Paris attacks in November, she made comments to Swedish television that the Foreign Ministry took as linking those attacks to Israel’s conflict with the Palestinians.
Ties between Sweden and Israel nose-dived after Sweden announced its recognition of a Palestinian state shortly after the Center-Left Social Democrats won general elections in 2014.
Reuters contributed to this report.