The demands on Billström: "Has become hell"

 

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The war between Israel and Hamas  

 

Tobias Billström is pressed about Israel's war in Gaza  

Olof Svensson 

 

Updated 12.34 | Published 10.48  

 

The political opposition demands that the government criticize Israel more harshly about the war in Gaza.  

 

If nothing is done, there is a risk of a massacre of civilians with catastrophic consequences, they believe.  

- The Swedish government has time and again given Israel support to bomb Gaza, even calling it proportional, says Håkan Svenneling (V). 

 

Quick version   

• The opposition parties in Sweden demand that the government criticize Israel more harshly regarding the conflict situation in Gaza.
• The parties warn of potential catastrophic consequences, including massacres of civilians, if nothing is done.
•  Foreign Minister Tobias Billström (M) has defended the government's position and emphasized that Hamas continues to attack Israel with rockets, which makes it difficult to demand a permanent ceasefire.  
  

Criticism of Israel's war in Gaza is growing around the world. But the Swedish government is far too silent.  

 

This is the opinion of the Social Democrats, the Left Party and the Green Party, who harshly criticized the government and Foreign Minister Tobias Billström (M) during a debate in the Riksdag. 

 

- The actions of Sweden and the rest of the world have not led to a ceasefire, it has not led to Israel stopping the killing of civilians, said Håkan Svenneling, foreign policy spokesperson for the Left Party.  

 

He believes that the government has been too weak in its criticism of Israel.  

 

- When will the foreign minister speak about the risk of massacres and starvation in Gaza.  

 

 

Tobias Billström during Wednesday's debate. 

Håkan Svenneling, foreign policy spokesperson for the Left Party, at a previous debate.

1 / 2Photo: Samuel Steén/TT 

 

"Gaza has become a children's cemetery"  

 

The Social Democrats' Morgan Johansson called the government's decision to withdraw aid to the aid organization UNRWA disastrous. He urged the government to immediately reconsider it.  

 

- Gaza has become a children's cemetery. It was a difficult place to live in before the war. Now it has become hell, Johansson said.  

 

The Green Party's Jacob Risberg criticized the government for not calling for a permanent ceasefire.

 

Morgan Johansson: "Gaza has become a children's cemetery". Photo: Samuel Steén/TT 

Protests during the debate  

 

Tobias Billström replied that Sweden did not withdraw, but paused, aid to UNRWA pending an investigation. He also said he shares the opposition's concerns about the situation in Gaza, adding that the government has criticized Israel and called for a ceasefire.  

 

At the same time, he underlined that Hamas is still shelling Israel with rockets and that the country thus has the right to defend itself, a permanent ceasefire is therefore difficult to demand. The debate was held after Tobias Billström left the government's foreign declaration. 

 

The debate was interrupted several times after audience members chanted criticism of the government's lack of criticism of Israel.  

 

- Israel commits genocide, shouted a woman and was lifted out by guards.  

 

Several people were carried away by guards during the debate. Photo: Samuel Steén/TT

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