Learn about the history of the Palestinian struggle for freedom, equality and justice by exploring major events in the history of their oppression on this day of the year.
10 January
On January 10th, 2015, the first “Embassy of the State of Palestine” in Western Europe opened in Stockholm. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom attended the inauguration ceremony. Israel summoned Sweden’s ambassador to protest. The US said it was “premature”. Seven EU members in Eastern Europe took the same step earlier, including three of the four members of the right-wing Visegrad Group, generally seen as Israel allies within the EU.
10 يناير
في هذا اليوم من العام 2015م، تم افتتاح "أول سفارة لدولة فلسطين" في غرب أوروبا في استكهولم. وقد حضر حفل الإفتتاح كل من الرئيس الفلسطيني عباس ابو مازن ووزير الخارجية السويدي مارغوت وولستورم. دعت إسرئيل السفير السويدي للإحتجاج. كما قالت الولايات المتحدة أن العملية "غير ناضجة". كما اتخذ سبعة من أعضاء الاتحاد الأوروبي ذات الخطوة في وقت سابق، بما في ذلك ثلاثة من الأعضاء الأربعة في مجموعة فايزجراد اليمينية، والذين ينظر إليهم كحلفاء لإسرائيل داخل الاتحاد الأوروبي.
By recognizing “State of Palestine,” Sweden could harm Palestinians
Recognition of a Palestinian “state” in a fraction of Palestine actually negates the rights of most Palestinians and conflicts with the Palestinian right of self-determination.
While recognizing the “State of Palestine” excites and pleases many who support the Palestinian cause, people should not get carried away with the aesthetics of “statehood” in what would amount to a bantustan.
Instead, they should focus on the negative consequences for the right of return and the rights of Palestinian citizens of Israel. The main purpose of the so-called two-state solution is not to restore Palestinian rights, but rather to preserve and recognize Israel’s so-called “right to exist as a Jewish state.”
Sweden led the way among European countries in opposing apartheid in South Africa. That included rejecting the regime’s bantustans which were designed to preserve apartheid by disguising it as “independence” for Blacks. It is also past time for Sweden and other countries to stop concealing their complicity with Israeli apartheid behind the so-called “two-state solution” and to openly support full rights and equality for all Palestinians throughout historic Palestine.
UK maintained its position not to support recognition of State of Palestine. Three of of the militantly pro-Israel Visegrad Group recognising the "State of Palestine" should raise questions as to the real meaning of such "recognition".
Israel is politically closest inside the EU to the right-wing Visegrad Group, generally seen as Islamophobic governments:
A year and a half after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu participated in the summit meeting of the Visegrad nations – Hungary, Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia – in Budapest, Israel was set to host the follow up meeting of the group on February 18 and 19 in Jerusalem. Hardly surprising since the Visegrad Group had "aligned themselves with Israeli viewpoints on issues such as migration, security, and threat perceptions, all of which are disputed in the EU".