Swedish government
Photo: AP
Sweden not considering opening Ramallah embassy
Despite being the first major European nation to recognize Palestine, Stockholm clarifies it will maintain Jerusalem consulate as base of diplomatic mission.
Sweden said Monday it will not open an embassy in Ramallah, even though it was the first major EU nation to recognize the state of Palestine.
“Nobody has opened an embassy in Ramallah, and we think that this can be managed by the consulate in Jerusalem, which is a satisfactory solution for us,” Foreign Minister Margot Wallstroem told Swedish public radio.
Swedish government announcing recognition of Palestine (Photo: AP)
Sweden last month officially recognized the state of Palestine, a move that infuriated Israel, which responded by recalling its ambassador to Stockholm.
“The ambassador is currently in Jerusalem for consultations. We don’t know when he will return,” said Uri Rothman, the interim figurehead at the Israeli embassy in Sweden.
Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas, whose headquarters are in the West Bank city of Ramallah, hailed Sweden’s recognition as “courageous and historic.”
According to the Palestinian Authority, around 135 countries have recognized the state of Palestine, including several nations that are now EU members.
