Published 25 November 2024 at 06.01
Foreign. TheGovernment has floundered on the ICC's arrest warrant against Israel's leader Benjamin Neyantahu. Now the opposition parties demand clear information on whether Netanyahu should be arrested if he sets foot in Sweden.
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The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued an arrest warrant against Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for, among other things, crimes against humanity, which raises questions about Sweden's stance.
The opposition now demands that the government clearly clarify how it intends to act if Netanyahu were to visit Sweden.
– The foreign minister has created international uncertainty about how Sweden views international law, says the Left Party's party leader Nooshi Dadgostar to Aftonbladet.
Norway has announced that it intends to arrest Netanyahu if he travels there, which they believe is an obligation according to international law. Sweden's Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard (M) has for her part emphasized Sweden's support for the ICC and that it will comply with the obligations of the Rome Statute, but has not wanted to give a concrete answer if an arrest would be relevant.
On X, the minister squirmed when she received questions about the matter:
It is well known that in Sweden Swedish law enforcement authorities decide to arrest a person who is the subject of an arrest warrant issued by the ICC, if the person is on Swedish territory. Not the government. https://t.co/2jTirl2k90
— Maria M Stenergard (@MariaStenergard) November 23, 2024
The Social Democrats' party leader Magdalena Andersson, the Green Party's Amanda Lind and Nooshi Dadgostar, however, all agree: Netanyahu should be arrested if he comes to Sweden.
“Sweden has an obligation to arrest and hand over persons that the ICC is looking for. That principle also applies in this case,” writes Magdalena Andersson to Aftonbladet.
Sweden Democrats party leader Jimmie Åkesson has instead criticized the ICC's decision and calls it “incomprehensible”. He criticizes the government for being too weak in its support for Israel.
The government, led by Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, has not yet given a clear answer to the opposition's demands.