Latest news with #FolkeBernadotte
Leaders
4 days ago
- Politics
- Leaders
Sweden's King Carl XVI Gustaf: Longstanding Support for Palestine, Steadfast Relations with Arab World
Through a series of symbolic gestures, King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden has been linked to expressions of support for Palestine, a significant cause that holds a visible place in Sweden's modern diplomatic narrative. Since Sweden's landmark recognition of Palestinian state in 2014, the monarch's congratulatory messages to Palestinian leaders and acknowledgment of Palestinian national occasions have attracted great attention on the international stage. Despite the fact that the King's role is ceremonial and he does not set foreign policy, these gestures have added symbolic weight to Sweden's engagement with the Palestinian cause. Gustaf has not made any public or official statements expressing hatred toward Israel or Israelis. However, some observers say that that there are historical and diplomatic contexts that have strongly affected Sweden's relations with Israel. Historical Context Sweden's King Carl XVI Gustaf and Folke Bernadotte, Count of Wisborg In 1948, a Zionist paramilitary group killed the King's godfather, Folke Bernadotte, Count of Wisborg and a Swedish nobleman and diplomat, in Jerusalem. Bernadotte helped rescue thousands of concentration camp inmates during WWII. Some observers see that this dramatic incident influenced Carl XVI Gustaf's stance toward Israel. King's Notable Absence from Israel Unlike many of his European countries, King Carl XVI Gustaf and the Royal family has not visited Israel since the founding of the state. Such a fact was seen by Swedish and international media as unusual for a monarch with over five decades on the throne. In light of Sweden's 2014 recognition of the State of Palestine and its consistent criticisms of Israeli policies in Gaza and the West Bank, the King's absence from Israel was seen by analysts and observers as a proof of his longstanding support for Palestinian self-determination. Diplomatic Stances Sweden has maintained a pro-Palestinian diplomatic stances by taking decisive steps to support the rights of Palestinians. Recognition of Palestinian State In 2014, Sweden officially recognized the State of Palestine, becoming the first European Union country to take such a significant step. 'Today, the government takes the decision to recognize the State of Palestine,' the country's Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom said. 'It is an important step that confirms the Palestinians' right to self-determination.' In a response, Israel has condemned Sweden's announcement and the Israeli Foreign Ministry summoned the Swedish ambassador. Criticizing Israel's War in Gaza People raised the Palestinian flags during a pro-Palestinian demonstration in Sweden. In May, the Swedish Foreign Ministry summoned the Israeli ambassador over the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip caused by Israel, according to Reuters. The ministry urged Israel to immediately ensure the unhindered flow of aid to the Palestinian enclave that has been suffering since October 2023. Furthermore, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson called on the European Union to suspend its trade agreement with Israel over its genocidal crimes in Gaza. 'The situation in Gaza is utterly deplorable, and Israel is not fulfilling its most basic obligations and agreed-upon commitments regarding humanitarian aid,' Kristersson added. Public Greetings Carl XVI Gustaf has publicly congratulated Palestine on its 'National Day', in the weeks following Stockholm's official recognition of the State of Palestine, according to Al-Jazeera. 'On the occasion of the National Day of the State of Palestine I wish to convey to Your Excellency my best wishes for your health and happiness and for the prosperity of the people of the State of Palestine,' the letter, carrying the Royal Court's official letterhead, read. Gustaf sent the message to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, marking a noteworthy diplomatic gesture. 'As the Swedish government has recognized the State of Palestine, it has also been sent on Palestine's National Day', the Royal Court said in comments to Swedish news agency TT. Cordial Relations with Arab World Sweden has long maintained respectful relations with the Arab world, based on diplomacy, trade, as well as cultural exchange. Notably, the King has played a pivotal role in strengthening the cooperative relations between his country and the Arab countries. Historic Visit to Jordan King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia visited Jordan in 2022. King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia embarked on a historic state visit to Jordan in 2022, aimed at boosting bilateral relations in several areas including economy, education, environment, and youth partnerships. In 1989, Jordan crowned the Swedish King with the prestigious Collar of the Order of Al-Hussein bin Ali, a testament to the strong and deep-rooted relations between both countries. Scouting Cooperation with Saudi Arabia Prince Alwaleed bin Talal visited Stockholm in 2014 and me the Swedish King. In 2014, Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, Chairman of Kingdom Holding Company (KHC) visited Stockholm and hold a significant meeting with the Swedish King to bolster scouting-related initiatives, according to Arab News. During the meeting, the King and Prince Alwaleed delved into several general local, regional issues and the global economic climate. King's Commitment to Religious Tolerance King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia visited the Fittja Grand Mosque in Stockholm. In 2023, King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia visited the Fittja Grand Mosque in Stockholm – a symbolic gesture of the King's commitment to religious tolerance and respecting Islam and Muslims. The mosque became the first in Sweden to broadcast the Islamic call to prayer (adhan) publicly from its minaret. By visiting the mosque, the King signaled royal acknowledgment of the growing Muslim community in his country and a deep respect for the Arab and Muslim world. Related Topics: Watch: British Influencer Describes Gaza War as 'Holocaust' Saudi Leadership Condoles Sweden over Fatal School Shooting Saudi Ambassador to Sweden Celebrate International Women's Day Chinese, Swiss, Swedish Teams Make History in 5th Week of Esports World Cup Short link : Post Views: 12
Rakyat Post
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Rakyat Post
Knowing The History Of Israel-Palestine: Right Of Return And Right Of Self-Defence
Subscribe to our FREE This article first appeared in UN Resolution 181 is well-known as the resolution that unjustly partitioned Palestine. Another resolution, Resolution 194, recognised the Palestinians' right of return to where they had been expelled from. The breakout of hostilities following Resolution 181 led to the appointment by the UN of a peace mediator, Count Folke Bernadotte. The Israeli government agreed to his appointment as Bernadotte was president of the Swedish Red Cross and had been instrumental in saving many Jews from the Nazis during World War Two. Bernadotte arrived in Palestine on 20 May 1948, five days after the establishment of the state of Israel. What the Israelis did not expect was for Bernadotte to demand the unconditional return of all the Palestinian refugees and for the country to be redivided. Bernadotte made his recommendations to the UN. A paramilitary Zionist group responded by assassinating him in September 1948 while he was carrying out his official duties. In a sense, there is tragic irony here. Bernadotte paid with his life for trying to stand up for the Palestinians. He had survived the Nazis when he courageously negotiated the release of so many Jews. But when he courageously tried to secure the rights of the Palestinians, he could not escape death at the hands of the Zionists. This was just one example of Zionist Israeli terrorism. Ilan Pappe's book Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine (from which much of the above account is taken) and other sources give a well-established history of Zionist Israeli acts of terrorism from the very birth of the state. What continues today in Gaza is part of a history of Israeli state terrorism that has simply never ended. Bernadotte's work, nevertheless, left a legacy – UN Resolution 194, adopted in December 1948 (after the establishment of Israel) by the same UN General Assembly that had voted for partition in November 1947. A key part of the resolution was its recognition of the Palestinian refugees' right to return to their homes. This has been ignored by Israel as it has with many other UN resolutions. This is an example of what has become habitual Israeli intransigence made possible by US military and diplomatic support over the years. Israel's admission to the UN in May 1949 was on condition it would accept Resolution 194 ( But that acceptance came to nothing. Israel's word could not be trusted – a trait that would be repeated time and again. The principle of an expelled people's right of return was again more recently underlined by a July 2024 advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice to the UN General Assembly that Israel's presence in occupied Palestinian territory is unlawful. But again, this has been ignored. Right of self-defence? The 'tropish' question often asked is, doesn't Israel have the right to defend itself? The question is conceptually illogical. In his Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine, Pappe quotes Palestinian historian Walid Khalidi: 'The native people of Palestine like the native people of every other country in the Arab world, Asia, Africa, America, and Europe, refused to divide the land with a settler community.' This was in the context of a process that disrespected the Palestinians with circumstances forced upon them. Thus, at its root, the confiscation of land came with the loss of dignity, freedom and self-determination. A subjugated people cannot but be expected to revolt and resist – which is what the Palestinians have been doing ever since. Self-defence is when you are the victim of someone else's actions, and you therefore have to defend yourself. If you and your family are robbed and under threat, and you act against the robber to wrest back your property and remove the threat to your family, who is exercising the right of self-defence? You? Or the robber who thinks he is defending himself against your actions? And so it is with Israel and Palestine. Israel inserted itself into a situation by aggressive and violent means. Its victims, the native Palestinians, have always been far weaker and at a disadvantage. Some of this weakness has been due to internal problems. But that does not change the fact that a dominant force with imperial support came and forcefully displaced them and, over the years, sabotaged them. Thus, the real point is, it is the Palestinians who have the right to resist and defend themselves. Israeli 'retaliation' is not self-defence. It is force used by an occupier to enforce its illegal occupation. (Israel's occupation of the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem has been ruled illegal by the International Court of Justice and by UN resolutions.) So long as the root causes of dispossession and subjugation of the Palestinian people are not addressed, there will be one form or other of fightback or resistance. It may take the form of Hamas, Hezbolah, Islamic Jihad, the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) or the Houthis with new incarnations to come. And all that time, there will not be the safety and security that Israelis themselves want. * That is why a lasting solution has to be a just political solution that recognises root causes and not one imposed by overwhelming armed might, which has now escalated into genocide in Gaza. (* It is enlightening to note the twisted ways in which Israeli leadership works, currently personified by Benjamin Netanyahu. He was quoted telling his Likud colleagues in March 2019: 'Anyone who wants to thwart the establishment of a Palestinian state has to support bolstering Hamas and transferring money to Hamas. This is part of our strategy, to isolate the Palestinians in Gaza from the Palestinians in the West Bank.' ( It also has to be noted that the Palestinians have not, contrary to unfair stereotyping, always only resorted to violent resistance. In many instances over decades, the Palestinian leadership has shown readiness to negotiate and compromise including recognition of the state of Israel. But Israel has always not responded in kind thus allowing it to continue using its might to increase its occupation of Palestine and to crush the will of the Palestinian people.) – By Tong Veng Wye, Aliran member. READ MORE: Share your thoughts with us via TRP's . Get more stories like this to your inbox by signing up for our newsletter.
