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Israel Blasts Sweden FM for Linking Israeli-Palestinian Conflict with Paris Attacks

CBN

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JERUSALEM, Israel -- While Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was busy pointing out to the world that terrorism is terrorism even when it's directed against Israel, many Israelis were cynically wondering just how long it would take until someone linked Israel or the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to the terror attacks in Paris.

It happened less than 72 hours after ISIS murdered at least 129 people in six deadly attacks. Sweden's Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom seemed to indicate that Palestinian hopelessness was the reason for the terrorism while talking about the attacks in Paris.

On Swedish television, Wallstrom reportedly was asked, "How worried are you about the radicalization of young people in Sweden who are fighting for ISIS?"

She replied, "Obviously, we have reason to be worried, not just in Sweden but across the world because there are so many that are being radicalized. Here, once again, we are brought back to the situations like the one in the Middle East, where not least, the Palestinians see that there isn't a future. We must either accept a desperate situation or resort to violence."

Sweden's Foreign Ministry denied Wallstrom connected the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to the attacks in Paris and said that they "condemn all acts of terror."

Israel, nevertheless, said the statements were "appallingly impudent."

In a statement, Israel's Foreign Ministry said the Swedish foreign minister had "consistently demonstrated bias against Israel and exhibits genuine hostility when she indicates a connection of any kind between the terrorist attacks in Paris and the complex situation between Israel and the Palestinians."

Foreign Minister Director General Dore Gold summoned the Swedish ambassador. Gold pointed out that Sweden has led the charge for labeling of Israeli goods in the European Union.

In a Jerusalem Post poll published this week but taken prior to last weekend's attacks, 39 percent of Israelis said Sweden was the European country least supportive of Israel.

Former Israeli Ambassador to Sweden Zvi Mazel said it's not surprising that the Sweden's foreign minister would make such a comment because it's part of Sweden's policy toward Israel.

According to Mazel, Sweden has been hostile toward Israel since the 1970s when it declared that it was no longer part of the Western camp but would cast its lot with the "non-aligned" movement. That put it in a pro-Soviet, anti-Israel position, he said. And that's been their policy since.

"Sweden votes every time in all United Nations organizations against Israel. Sweden does not blame the Arabs for any problems in the Middle East, only Israel," Mazel told CBN News.

"Even when we have a terrorist attack in Israel, they try not to speak about it. If they speak, they call for restraint on both sides," he said.

A year ago, Sweden became the first E.U. state to recognize "Palestine."

Further, Mazel said, Sweden has opened its doors to hundreds of thousands of Muslim immigrants. He said the percentage of rape in Sweden in the last three or four years has increased by 1,475 percent.

"I look at Sweden now and I'm wondering probably, this will be the destiny of Europe in five, six years," he estimated.

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