The Israeli-Palestinian conflict

The election manifesto states that Sweden must be a voice for peace and justice, not for increased militarization, and that development aid and the UN must be strengthened. The party programme makes international law and respect for human rights the foundation for an independent foreign policy that dares to challenge great powers. The counter-proposal's demands for immediate ceasefire, free humanitarian access, legal prosecution of international law violations and an end to occupation directly follow from these commitments.

• Sweden as a voice for peacedecisive»Vänsterpartiet anser att Sverige ska vara en röst för fred och rättvisa, inte för ökad militarisering.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The Left Party believes that Sweden must be a voice for peace and justice, not for increased militarization.”
• international law guides foreign policy»Sverige ska föra en självständig utrikespolitik där demokrati, respekt för folkrätten« (party programme ↗)“Sweden must pursue an independent foreign policy where democracy, respect for international law”
• human rights fundamental»Respekten för de mänskliga rättigheterna ska vara grundläggande« (party programme ↗)“Respect for human rights must be fundamental”
• strengthen UN and development aid»Sverige ska öka biståndet, stärka FN och skriva under kärnvapenkonventionen.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden must increase development aid, strengthen the UN and sign the nuclear weapons convention.”

The plan builds foreign policy on international law and the UN's role and requires that every person's right to life in freedom and security always be defended and that the world community react to serious threats to population groups. An immediate ceasefire, free humanitarian access and a legal examination of the allegations are measures within that framework. The Security Council's call for immediate ceasefire now strengthens the connection to the plan's UN line.

• the UN and international lawdecisive»Vi kommer att fortsätta värna FN:s roll i arbetet för folkrätten och det internationella samarbetet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We will continue to safeguard the UN's role in work for international law and international cooperation.”
• civilians' right to life and security»människors rätt till liv i frihet och säkerhet måste alltid försvaras« (party programme ↗)“people's right to life in freedom and security must always be defended”
• react to threats against population groups»kunna reagera vid allvarliga hot mot befolkningsgrupper, även när hotet kommer från dem« (party programme ↗)“be able to react to serious threats to population groups, even when the threat comes from them”
• rules-based world order»Vi kommer att fortsätta arbetet för att öka respekten för de mänskliga rättigheterna, demokratin och en regelbaserad världsordning och global säkerhet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We will continue the work to increase respect for human rights, democracy and a rules-based world order and global security.”

Worldstate weighed in: The UN Security Council has adopted a resolution on immediate ceasefire in Gaza — The plan's commitment to safeguard the UN's role for international law then points directly to the demand for immediate ceasefire.

The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.

The party programme places international law and human rights at the centre, wants politics to place human security ahead of territorial and accepts military violence only in self-defence or with UN mandate. The requirements for immediate ceasefire, free humanitarian access, legal proceedings for violations of international law and an end to occupation follow from these commitments and from the fact that rights are universal.

• international law and human rights at centredecisive»Miljöpartiet de gröna sätter folkrätten och de mänskliga rättigheterna i centrum.« (party programme ↗)“The Green Party places international law and human rights at the centre.”
• human security ahead of territorial»Vi vill se en politik som sätter mänsklig säkerhet före territoriell.« (party programme ↗)“We want to see a politics that places human security ahead of territorial.”
• violence only with UN mandate»En förutsättning är att det sker i självförsvar eller med FN-mandat.« (party programme ↗)“A prerequisite is that it occurs in self-defence or with UN mandate.”
• universal rights»De rättigheter som vi arbetar för i vår del av världen är universella.« (party programme ↗)“The rights we work for in our part of the world are universal.”

Worldstate weighed in: The UN Security Council has adopted a resolution on immediate ceasefire in Gaza — Gives the plan's international law principle a concrete expression to support; Mass deaths among civilians in queue for aid in Gaza — Sharpens the plan's requirements on humanitarian access and human security

The plan binds foreign policy to universal human rights and freedoms and makes peace and the protection of human rights a responsibility of the whole world, with the United Nations as arena. Demands for ceasefire, humanitarian access and international legal proceedings are applications of that line in an acute humanitarian catastrophe. The plan does not however take a position in the conflict as such, so security is low.

• global responsibility for peacedecisive»Fred, skyddet av mänskliga rättigheter och hållbar utveckling är hela världens ansvar.« (party programme ↗)“Peace, protection of human rights and sustainable development are the responsibility of the whole world.”
• rights-based foreign policy»Utrikes- och säkerhetspolitiken syftar ytterst till att värna universella mänskliga fri- och rättigheter.« (party programme ↗)“Foreign and security policy ultimately aims to safeguard universal human rights and freedoms.”
• Swedish support for peacekeeping»Centerpartiet vill att Sverige ska bistå i internationella fredsinsatser« (party programme ↗)“The Centre Party wishes Sweden to assist in international peacekeeping operations”
• human rights as foundation»Respekten för de mänskliga rättigheterna är grunden för ett demokratiskt samhälle.« (party programme ↗)“Respect for human rights is the foundation of a democratic society.”

Worldstate weighed in: Catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza — Actualizes the plan's demands for protection of civilians and humanitarian responsibility; UN resolution on immediate ceasefire — Provides the plan's UN and international law line a concrete application

The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.

The plan does not address the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The nearest principle is that Sweden shall never waver in support for freedom in the world around us and that foreign policy is values-driven, which speaks against an unconditional and permanent ceasefire that makes no demands on the terrorist organisation. The plan's support for a strengthened international criminal court speaks instead for the legal process the counter-proposal wants to see, but does not carry the requirement as a whole.

• support for freedom in the worlddecisive»Sverige aldrig ska svikta i stödet för friheten i vår omvärld« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden shall never waver in support for freedom in the world around us”
• values-driven foreign policy»Målet med vår utrikespolitik är en friare värld för alla.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The goal of our foreign policy is a freer world for all.”
• strengthened criminal court»Internationella brottmålsdomstolens roll för att lagföra brott mot mänskliga rättigheter ska stärkas.« (party programme ↗)“The role of the International Criminal Court in prosecuting crimes against human rights shall be strengthened.”

The party programme explicitly recognizes the right to defend oneself against attack and that self-defence is a justified purpose for force. A demand for immediate and permanent ceasefire without conditions takes away precisely that right and places no demands on the attacking party. The programme supports instead that civilians are protected and that international courts are strengthened, which qualifies but does not reverse the conclusion.

• the right to self-defencedecisive»Rätten till liv, kroppslig integritet och respekt för den personliga värdigheten innefattar även rätten att försvara sig mot angrepp.« (party programme ↗)“The right to life, bodily integrity and respect for personal dignity also includes the right to defend oneself against attack.”
• criteria for defensive war»Om det är ett försvarskrig måste det föreligga ett rättfärdigt ändamål, det vill säga självförsvar, skydda oskyldigas liv eller säkrande av grundläggande mänskliga rättigheter.« (party programme ↗)“If it is a defensive war, there must be a justified purpose, that is self-defence, to protect innocent lives or to secure fundamental human rights.”
• protection of civilians»Aggression riktad mot civila är ej försvarbar.« (party programme ↗)“Aggression directed at civilians is not defensible.”
• strengthened international courts»Därför måste FN:s ställning skyddas och stärkas, liksom olika internationella domstolar och rättssystem inom FN-systemet.« (party programme ↗)“Therefore the UN's position must be protected and strengthened, as well as various international courts and legal systems within the UN system.”

Worldstate weighed in: The UN Security Council adopts a resolution on immediate ceasefire in Gaza — Reinforces the plan's commitment to the UN's position, but does not change the requirement to respect the right to self-defence

The plan does not address the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The principle that comes closest is that tolerance never extends to those who use violence or threats of violence, and that Sweden should wholeheartedly support those subjected to armed attack. An unconditional and permanent ceasefire without corresponding demands on the attacking party, linked to genocide allegations, lacks support in the plan, although its commitment to humanitarian aid speaks in favour of humanitarian access.

• no tolerance for violencedecisive»Den tolererar inte uppmaningar till hat- eller våldsbrott.« (party programme ↗)“It does not tolerate incitement to hate or violent crime.”
• support for the attacked party»Sverige ska helhjärtat stå upp för Ukraina, även med fortsatta vapenleveranser.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden should wholeheartedly support Ukraine, even with continued arms deliveries.”
• increased humanitarian aid»Öka andelen humanitärt bistånd i den svenska biståndsbudgeten« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Increase the share of humanitarian aid in the Swedish aid budget”
• democracy and human rights»Prioritera insatser som stödjer arbetet för demokrati och mänskliga rättigheter« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Prioritize initiatives that support work for democracy and human rights”

Worldstate weighed in: The UN Security Council adopts a resolution on an immediate ceasefire in Gaza — Strengthens the humanitarian ceasefire requirement, but the plan still does not support unconditional terms or genocide prosecution.

The plan states that the relationship with Israel, as the only democracy in its region, should be re-established and cared for, and that international terrorism and Islamism should be combated. The counter-proposal's requirements for an unconditional permanent ceasefire, condemnation of Israel's military operations and Swedish support for a genocide inquiry conflict with that line. The plan also sees Islamist influence in the region as a threat to Sweden.

• care for the relationship with Israeldecisive»Relationen till Israel, som den enda demokratin i sin region, bör återupprättas och vårdas.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The relationship with Israel, as the only democracy in its region, should be re-established and cared for.”
• combat terrorism and Islamism»Bekämpa internationell terrorism och islamism« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Combat international terrorism and Islamism”
• Islamism as a security threat»Ett allt mer aggressivt islamistiskt inflytande i mellanöstern och Afrika innebär att risken för terrorism ökar i Sverige och att mänskliga rättigheter och respekten för kvinnor trycks tillbaka i världen.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Increasingly aggressive Islamist influence in the Middle East and Africa means that the risk of terrorism in Sweden increases and that human rights and respect for women are pushed back in the world.”
• mark against territorial violations»Sverige ska tydligt markera mot kränkningar av grundläggande fri- och rättigheter och av suveräna staters territorium.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden should clearly mark against violations of basic freedoms and rights and of sovereign states' territory.”