News

Sweden, the EU, and Barriers to a Two-State Solution

07 January 2016

EFD Senior Fellow Magnus Norell writes about Sweden's recent decision to recognise the State of Palestine. In his analysis, he highlights that the decision is based on the Swedish administration's justification that, "The international law criteria for the recognition of the State of Palestine have been satisfied," indicating that, "there is a territory, albeit with non-defined borders. There is also a population. And there is a government with the capacity for internal and external control."

However, Norell writes that Sweden's decision to do so, represents "a fundamental break with Western policies toward the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and the two-state solution." Moreover, he notes that this move will also complicate final negotiations "in a variety of ways" that were not addressed by those advocating the decision.

Ultimately, Sweden's move, although it is not the first EU Member to do so, has serious implications not only for it's relations with Israel, but to the overall peace process, as the EU continues its efforts to secure a political solution to the crisis.

The article is in English and can be read here.