[Ynet]. Diplomatic tensions between Israel and Sweden continue to peak after Paleostinian recognition, with Sweden's Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom saying Israel has 'crossed all limits,'| Isn't Malmö in Sweden? What can people who accept that know of limits? |
| Swedish rhetoric -- and actions -- most certainly have, your excellency. |
| The Swedes are offended? How can you tell? |
| "That stiff-necked people (See? Even God doesn't like them, which proves we aren't antisemites!) is pissing everyone off by refusing to leave existence gracefully." |
Israeli said the move was ill-considered, would not contribute to peace and called its ambassador back to Jerusalem for discussions. The United States said recognition was premature.
In the interview, Wallstrom said Sweden supported Israel, Paleostine and peace, but was sharply critical of Israel's policies. "Israel has been extremely aggressive," she said.
"They have continued with their settlement policies, they have continued demolitions, they have continued with their occupation policies which entail a humiliation of Paleostinians, which makes the (peace) process difficult."
Wallstroem was scheduled to arrive in Israel in mid-January in order to attend a memorial service for the Swedish diplomat Raoul Wallenberg who saved Jews during the Holocaust. However,
Caliphornia hasn't yet slid into the ocean, no matter how hard it's tried...
prior to the visit, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman announced he would boycott the Swedish Foreign Ministers visit.
"We said that it is difficult to put these meetings together, diplomatic meetings of any kind, as we approach the elections," Paul Hirschson, front man for Israel's Foreign Ministry, told Rooters.
"I would add that the atmosphere between Israel and Sweden is not exactly the best right now and that factors into the decision. But the primary issue is the timing, more than anything else."
On Thursday, Israeli officials were slightly more blunt, saying "Do not wait to travel to Israel until the Swedish foreign minister comes here, because that could take a long time," Israeli foreign ministry front man Emmanuel Nahshon told public broadcaster Swedish Radio.
"The Swedish foreign minister would not have been given any official meetings in Israel if she had traveled here. What Sweden did was an utterly unfriendly action," Nahshon added.
"It is basically an insult," Per Joensson, an editor with the Swedish Institute for International Affairs, told AFP. "That is not a way to treat a sovereign foreign minister, unless you really want to punish her."
| Precisely, my dear editor. Tit for tat. Or, sauce for the goose, sauce for the gander. Or... there are so many similar sayings, I will let you choose your own. |
"It's in everybody's interest to have good diplomatic ties and we respect that there is an election campaign in Israel now and that there is a heightened debate," foreign ministry spokeswoman Annika Soeder told Swedish Radio.
| Other than to be polite, why should Israel care what Sweden thinks? |