It is problematic because as recently as in May, we rejected such a proposal from the opposition to freeze the trade agreement. Now the government chooses to meet the opposition halfway without coordinating the issue with us or exploring other possible ways forward. I think that is deeply regrettable, says Emilsson to the newspaper.
Aronsson says further that Israel must be pressed to a humanitarian ceasefire, but that ending the trade does not benefit the negotiations for a ceasefire.
We can put pressure in bilateral talks, act through the EU and steer the aid so that it reaches. Then we must be realistic. Sweden does not have the geographical or cultural prerequisites to solve the situation on the ground in Gaza, says Emilsson to Expressen.
During the weekend, the leader of the Sweden Democrats, Jimmie Åkesson, described the government's demand for a frozen trade agreement as "actually a disaster". "Had we suspected that the government would be so fluttering and weak in Middle East policy, we would of course have demanded foreign policy guarantees in the Tidö Agreement as well", wrote Åkesson on X.
