Sweden's Policy toward Israel: Constraints and Adjustments

Abstract

Sweden and Israel share little in common. Both are known for the stability of their democratic systems, strong labour movements, progressive taxation systems, and extensive welfare services. Apart from these similarities, however, the two countries are different in every sense imaginable. Sweden's involvement in international affairs and in the Arab-Israeli conflict in particular remained marginal during the early years of the Jewish State's existence, and it was not until the rise of Prime Minister Olof Palme in 1969, as the Prime Minister of the Social Democratic Party, that it became keenly interested in Middle Eastern affairs. Unlike Great Britain and France, which maintained colonial possessions east of Suez, the Swedes never regarded the Middle East as vital to their strategic or economic interests, nor did the Holy Land and the shrines of Christianity loom large in their view of the region. This was largely because the spread of Christianity in Sweden occurred much later than in other parts of the European continent.' The absence of substantial contacts between Sweden and Palestine, which manifested itself in the small number of Swedish travellers and pilgrims, who visited the shrines of Christianity during the nineteenth century, kept the Swedes largely distant from the events there. Unlike Britain and France, which became involved in Ottoman affairs during the nineteenth century, Sweden had no particular reasons, strategic or religious, to be concerned about Palestine or any Middle Eastern country. Nor did the Suez route, which loomed large in British and French strategic thinking at that time, play a role in Swedish foreign policy making. And since the Jewish community in Sweden remained small, successive Swedish governments had no compelling reasons to become involved in the Arab-Israeli conflict. Sweden's attitude toward its Jewish population was similar to other European countries. It was not until the end of the eighteenth century that Jews were allowed to enter the country in small numbers. Swedish Jews were subjected to discriminatory rules and regulations common to most European countries at that time, and it was not until 1951 that the last