Israel sarcastically welcomes Sweden’s envoy to Arab-Israeli conflict

The spokesman for Israel’s Foreign Ministry reacted sarcastically to Sweden’s appointment of an envoy to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,  asking, “why couldn’t (the envoy) come sooner?”

Sweden has appointed a “special envoy” to solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, according to the country’s foreign minister, Margot Wallstrom.

“This year marks 50 years of the occupation of Palestine,” she said referring to Israel’s control of Judea and Samaria after Jordan attacked Israel during the Six-Day War of 1967. “Sweden continues to work for a resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and will appoint a special envoy.”

Israel’s Foreign Ministry sarcastically welcomed the nomination of the official.

“Given the extraordinary successes of this Swedish government in peace making all over the world, we are deeply grateful for the decision to finally solve this region’s illnesses,” said Israel’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Emmanuel Nahshon to The Times of Israel. “Why couldn’t they come sooner?”

Israeli officials have not taken too kindly to Sweden’s expectations and demands of Israel. Shortly after Sweden had unilaterally recognized a state for the Palestinian Authority, Wallstrom was reportedly enraged when Israel declined to accept Sweden’s demand to provide a security detail for her during a planned visit to Israel in January 2015.

Israeli officials also refused to meet with Wallstrom last December, when she arrived for a visit.

By: World Israel News Staff