The Swedish ambassador to Israel will be summoned to the Israeli foreign ministry following a statement made by Sweden’s new Prime Minister Stefan Lofven that his country would recognize Palestine as a ‘sovereign state,’’ the ministry’s spokesperson, Emmanuel Nachson, announced.
Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman said that he regrets that the new Prime Minister was quick to issue statements regarding the position of Sweden on recognition of a Palestinian state.’’
‘’He apparently has not yet had sufficient time to study the matter and to understand that it is the Palestinians who have for the past 20 years been an obstacle to reaching an agreement with Israel,’’ Lieberman stated.
He added: ‘’Prime Minister Stefan Lofven must understand that no declaration and no measure by an external party can serve as a substitute for direct negotiations between the parties and a solution that will be part of an overall arrangement between Israel and the entire Arab world. If what concerns the Prime Minister of Sweden in his inaugural address is the situation in the Middle East, he would better focus on the more urgent problems in the region, such as the daily mass murder taking place in Syria, Iraq and elsewhere in the region.’’
On Friday, Lofven, a Social Democrat who was elected last month, told the Swedish parliament during his inaugural address that his government would take the step.
"A two-state solution requires mutual recognition and a will to peaceful co-existence. Sweden will therefore recognize the state of Palestine," he said.
Sweden would become the first EU member state to recognize Palestine.