Sweden seeks inquiry into Israeli violence as 3 more gunned down
(MENAFN- Arab News) STOCKHOLM: Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom called on Tuesday for an investigation to determine whether Israel was guilty of extrajudicial killings of Palestinians during recent violence there local media reported.
The comments were the latest in a series of statements by Wallstrom that have irked Israeli authorities. Ties between Sweden and Israel nose-dived when Sweden recognized the Palestinian state shortly after Wallstrom's center-left Social Democrats won a parliamentary election in 2014.
The rift then deepened further when she described the Palestinians' plight as a factor leading to radicalization.
'It is vital that there is a thorough credible investigation into these deaths in order to clarify and bring about possible accountability' Wallstrom said during a parliamentary debate according to news agency TT.
In response the Israeli Foreign Ministry said in a statement: 'The Swedish Foreign Minister has in her reckless and ludicrous comments buoyed terrorism and by so doing is encouraging violence.'
Rights groups have accused Israel of using excessive force to quell the unrest.
The United States the European Union and the United Nations have all expressed concern.
Israeli soldiers shot dead three Palestinians in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday including one the military said had tried to stab a soldier as four months of tensions simmered.
The Palestinian Health Ministry said a 21-year-old Palestinian was killed by Israeli gunfire during a confrontation between troops and protesters in the town of Beit Jalla near Bethlehem. The military said troops had fired at 'rioters who hurled firebombs and rocks at the soldiers.'
In a separate incident a military spokeswoman said troops fatally shot a Palestinian who got out of a car and tried to stab a soldier in the West Bank city of Hebron. The driver of the vehicle was shot and wounded and fled the scene the spokeswoman added. Palestinian officials said he died.
The comments were the latest in a series of statements by Wallstrom that have irked Israeli authorities. Ties between Sweden and Israel nose-dived when Sweden recognized the Palestinian state shortly after Wallstrom's center-left Social Democrats won a parliamentary election in 2014.
The rift then deepened further when she described the Palestinians' plight as a factor leading to radicalization.
'It is vital that there is a thorough credible investigation into these deaths in order to clarify and bring about possible accountability' Wallstrom said during a parliamentary debate according to news agency TT.
In response the Israeli Foreign Ministry said in a statement: 'The Swedish Foreign Minister has in her reckless and ludicrous comments buoyed terrorism and by so doing is encouraging violence.'
Rights groups have accused Israel of using excessive force to quell the unrest.
The United States the European Union and the United Nations have all expressed concern.
Israeli soldiers shot dead three Palestinians in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday including one the military said had tried to stab a soldier as four months of tensions simmered.
The Palestinian Health Ministry said a 21-year-old Palestinian was killed by Israeli gunfire during a confrontation between troops and protesters in the town of Beit Jalla near Bethlehem. The military said troops had fired at 'rioters who hurled firebombs and rocks at the soldiers.'
In a separate incident a military spokeswoman said troops fatally shot a Palestinian who got out of a car and tried to stab a soldier in the West Bank city of Hebron. The driver of the vehicle was shot and wounded and fled the scene the spokeswoman added. Palestinian officials said he died.
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