Netanyahu attacks pro-justice Swedish Foreign Minister

Swedish foreign minister's call for an investigation into the killing of Palestinians by Israeli forces in recent West Bank attacks is "outrageous, immoral and stupid" says Israeli PM on Thursday.

MENA

2 min read

The New Arab

16 January, 2016

Neanyahu says people are defending themselves against 'assailants' about to stab them 'to death' [Getty]

Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu condemned accusations by Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom that Israeli forces may be guilty of extrajudicial killings of Palestinians as "outrageous, immoral and stupid" on Thursday.

Netanyahu's comments follow Wallstrom's call for credible investigations to determine whether Israeli forces are using excessive force against Palestinians in the recent wave of attacks across the West Bank.

Speaking to a gathering of foreign journalists, Netanyahu said that Wallstrom's comments were "outrageous, immoral and stupid."

"People are defending themselves against assailants wielding knives who are about to stab them to death and they shoot the people, and that’s extrajudicial killings?" he said.

The Swedish foreign minister was declared "not welcomed" in Israel by the Israeli foreign ministry on Wednesday.

Neanyahu also accused the EU of holding Israel to a double standard.

"There is a natural tendency in the EU establishments to single out Israel and treat it in ways that other countries are not being dealt with, and especially other democracies," Netanyahu told foreign journalists.

Rights groups have criticised Israel for using unjustified force against Palestinians who carried out knife attacks or where suspected of attempted stabbing.

Wallstrom echoed these concerns to Swedish MPs during a parliamentary debate earlier this week.

"It is vital that there are thorough, credible investigations into these deaths in order to clarify and bring about possible accountability," Wallstrom said.

Israeli officials were quick to condemn the outspoken Swedish minister's comments, stating that if she were to visit Israel she "would not be received by Israeli officials."

In October 2014, Sweden's newly elected government announced it will recognise Palestinian statehood in a move that angered Israeli officials.