In the wake of the conflict in Gaza, David Stavrou, a freelance Israeli journalist based in Sweden, has written a piece which shows how current Swedish antisemitism - driven by the left but also embedded in the mainstream, and dominated by demands for solidarity with the likes of Hamas and Hezbollah - replicates what we are seeing in many other countries.

Most Swedish political figures positioned themselves between strongly condemning Israel while mildly criticizing Hamas‘ actions on the one hand and totally supporting Hamas and its administration in Gaza on the other.

On the left many condemned Israel’s military operation and the Jewish state in general. “I don’t think Israel is a democracy worthy of the name. It’s a racist apartheid state,” said the Left Party’s Hans Linde, calling for a boycott of Israel.

On the right, Carl Bildt, Sweden’s foreign minister who visited Gaza last week, blamed Israel for intentionally targeting economic infrastructure and called Israeli policies “neither morally nor politically defensible”. These remarks were part of a wider debate which included demonstrations, calls for boycotts and anti-Israel diplomacy.

A leading Social-Democrat, Urban Ahlin, Deputy Chair of the Committee of Foreign Affairs, implored the government to encourage the EU to suspend its cooperation agreement with Israel, while perhaps the most amazing remark was made by another Social-Democrat. “Israel is an apartheid state. I think Gaza is comparable to the Warsaw ghetto,” said Ingalill Bjartén, the vice-chair of one of the Social Democratic women’s organizations.

Read it all.