Sweden’s centre-right government has called on the European Union to freeze its trade agreement with Israel, citing Israel’s failure to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza. The move marks the strongest public stance taken so far by Stockholm regarding the situation in the region.
Economic pressure on Israel to enable humanitarian access
Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson stated that Israel is not fulfilling its basic obligations and previous agreements concerning the entry of humanitarian assistance into Gaza. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Kristersson declared that “the economic pressure on Israel must increase” and demanded that the EU freeze the trade chapter of the Association Agreement with Israel.
The Association Agreement governs EU-Israel trade relations, offering preferential market access. A freeze would require a qualified majority among EU member states, and Israel’s exports to the EU currently account for around 28% of its total export volume.
Kristersson’s comments were echoed by Sweden’s Minister for International Development Cooperation, Benjamin Dousa, who wrote on Instagram that the situation in Gaza is “worse than ever” and that large stocks of Swedish humanitarian aid are waiting outside the territory, unable to enter due to Israeli restrictions.
A coordinated approach targeting both Israel and Hamas
Sweden’s appeal to the EU includes parallel pressure on Hamas. While demanding unhindered humanitarian access to Gaza, the government also urged for immediate and unconditional release of hostages held by Hamas. Kristersson added that Sweden supports calls from several Middle Eastern countries for Hamas to be disarmed and excluded from any future governance of Gaza.
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard revealed that the Swedish government had previously sent a letter to the European Commission, advocating for a sanctions list targeting extremist Israeli ministers. She also emphasised that Hamas bears “a very heavy responsibility for the situation in Gaza.”
Sweden joins growing EU dissent over Israel policy
Sweden is not the first EU country to propose suspending the trade agreement with Israel. Similar appeals have been made in recent months by Ireland, Spain, and the Netherlands. However, Sweden’s initiative is significant because it reflects a clear departure from previous Swedish positions, which had been more cautious or ambiguous.
According to Middle East analyst Alexander Atarodi, the Swedish government’s proposal represents a new direction in the country’s foreign policy: “This is new in the Swedish context. The government is now putting forward concrete measures instead of vague statements.”
While Atarodi does not believe the Swedish statement alone will alter Israel’s position, he notes that Sweden’s voice could carry weight within the EU, which remains Israel’s largest trading partner and has the capacity to implement further sanctions if consensus is reached.
