Sweden Archives - UN Watch

Sweden Cuts Off Terror-Infested UNRWA and Redirects Aid to More Efficient Agencies

unwatch — Wed, 02 Jul 2025 09:48:41 +0000

Sweden has announced a $150 million foreign aid package for Ukraine and other countries while allocating no funding to the terrorist-infested UNRWA. Instead, Sweden will send aid to Gaza through other, more efficient agencies, delivering a major blow to UNRWA and its Hamas affiliates.

The Swedish government’s decision builds on its December 2024 announcement to defund UNRWA, citing difficulties facing the agency from new Israeli legislation that outlaws UNRWA operations. Stockholm will redirect their funding to established humanitarian organizations, including the World Food Program, UNICEF, and the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Sweden’s foreign ministry specifically referenced the “crisis of confidence” surrounding UNRWA, noting the agency has been “criticized for decades for a lack of neutrality.” The government highlighted longstanding concerns about “employees participating in terrorism and antisemitic schoolbooks” within UNRWA’s operations.

BREAKING: Sweden announces $150 million new foreign aid for Ukraine and other countries — and ZERO for terrorist-infested UNRWA. Instead, Sweden will send aid to Gaza via other, more efficient agencies. Major blow to the UN agency and its affiliate Hamas. https://t.co/KgP21Yf1IT pic.twitter.com/cYTcgIibHG

— UN Watch (@UNWatch) July 1, 2025

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U.N.'s Own Audit Found UNRWA Vulnerable to "Graft and Corruption"

unwatch — Wed, 10 Jan 2018 12:58:45 +0000

A Palestinian woman takes part in a protest against possible reductions of the services and aid offered by United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), in front of UNRWA headquarters in Gaza City August 16, 2015.. (photo credit: REUTERS/MOHAMMED SALEM)

A flurry of statements and articles by Sweden, the New York Times, and Foreign Policy, want us to believe that a U.S. reduction in its $360 million annual funding of UNRWA would bring humanitarian disaster and threaten international peace and stability. But according to a little-known internal audit, the United Nations itself found that UNRWA was particularly vulnerable to “misappropriation, graft and corruption” in its “procurement, partner selection, food and cash distribution, hiring and promotions, and other areas.” The U.N. audit also found that UNRWA’s oversight arrangements were deficient.
The audit expressly criticized the lack of “periodic, unannounced direct inspections of UNRWA shelters and facilities, food distribution centres, schools, and clinics.”
Recent reports of UNRWA filling high level positions with senior Hamas members, such as Suhail al-Hindi, and Hamas terrorist rockets being stored in UNRWA schools, demonstrate that UNRWA’s lack of oversight continues to be a problem.
This might explain the latest scandal over UNRWA being found to have drastically inflated its count of Palesitinian refugees in Lebanon.
While UNRWA puts the number of refugees there at 450,000, a new census by the Lebanese government finds that the actual number is less than half —only 175,000.
The Lebanese census calls into question the accuracy of UNRWA’s refugee count across the region. Donors should demand a thorough audit and overhaul of UNRWA’s refugee rosters.
The U.S. is right to question UNRWA funding for other reasons, too.
Indeed, the majority of UNRWA’s 5 million refugees would not be considered refugees at all under UNHCR standards. Take for example the more than 2 million UNRWA refugees in Jordan most of whom, according to UNRWA, have full Jordanian citizenship. Or the 2.1 million UNRWA refugees in the West Bank and Gaza who enjoy exactly the same rights and privileges as non-refugee Palestinians residing in those areas. Former UNRWA General Counsel James Lindsay sharply criticized UNRWA’s practice of treating these people as refugees.
Significantly, of the original 750,000 Palestine refugees (using UNRWA’s numbers), only about 20,000 remain. The rest of UNRWA’s refugees are descendants of the original refugees, entitled to Palestine refugee status under UNRWA’s special rules (which are not the same as those of UNHCR). Contrast the mushrooming of Palestinian refugees under UNRWA’s policy—backed by Arab host countries (Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt)—of keeping the Palestinians in a perpetual state of refugeehood with the fate of the Jewish refugees from that same conflict. Some 850,000 Jews became refugees as a result of the 1948 Arab-Israeli conflict after they were expelled from Arab countries and Iran, but they were resettled in Israel and the West and are no longer refugees.
It is through UNRWA’s policies of refusing to resettle Palestinian refugees in host countries, extending refugee status to the descendants of the original refugees forever, and it’s active promotion of the refugees’ so-called “right of return,” that UNRWA engages as an active player in the conflict violating its neutrality and, contrary to the purposes of the UN Charter, ensures that the conflict will continue forever.
UNRWA’s Spokesman Chris Gunness reinforced UNRWA’s position on the “right of return” in a 2011 article in which he argued that folding UNRWA into the UNHCR would not eliminate the right of return for Palestinian refugees because they “are entitled to a just and lasting solution to their plight,” and in the absence of such a solution “their status as refugees will remain.”
Consistent with its anti-peace narrative, UNRWA is currently running a major campaign under the hashtag #stillrefugees devoted exclusively to blaming Israel for injustices suffered by Palestinian refugees.
Leading UNRWA scholar Einat Wilf has criticized the West’s funding of UNRWA for these very reasons.

UN Watch has also been a leading critic of UNRWA, particularly the lack of neutrality of its staff in violation of the UN Charter and UN Staff Rules of Conduct. Last year, UN Watch published two reports detailing more than 60 examples of incitement by UNRWA educational staff—one in February 2017 and one in April 2017. UNRWA has ignored the issue by teaching its staff what not to post on social media, instead of refraining from hiring anti-Semitic staff in the first place and training its staff to promote peace rather than conflict.

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Swedish rally calls to murder Jews, then "Long live Margot Wallström!"

unwatch — Sun, 17 Dec 2017 20:39:13 +0000

https://www.facebook.com/unwatch/videos/10154994155426561/
Three questions for the Swedish political establishment:
1. Will Swedish foreign minister Margot Wallström explain why the same Stockholm demonstrators who last week called for the murder of Jews, “the descendants of apes and pigs,” also cried out “Long live Margot Wallström”? They said she “has their back.” Is this who Wallström fights for? Will she disavow their support?
2. Why did former Swedish prime minister Carl Bildt published a Washington Post op-ed dismissing antisemitism in Sweden — omitting to mention open murder chants by 2,000 demonstrators in his capital?
3. Why did Swedish police spokesperson Anna Westberg say that, other than “a few small incidents,” “everything has gone well”?

These were the chants from rally organized by Sweden’s Jerusalem Kommitten in Stockholm on Dec. 9, 2017, which can be heard on the video (Youtube here):

“Boycott, boycott, boycott Israel!”
“Jews remember Khaybar, the army of Muhammad shall return.”
“Long live Margot Wallström! Long live Margot Wallström! Because we must show that those who fight for us, we’ve got their backs.”
“Arm me, please! Allahu Akbar!”
“Let all of Stockholm hear us! Let every Zionist in Stockholm hear us! Crush Zionism!”
“To Jerusalem we march, martyrs by the millions! Allahu Akbar. Honor to Islam.”
“We pray to Allah the Almighty for victory over the descendants of the cows, the descendants of apes and pigs, over the sons of Zion.”
(Stomping on Israeli flag.) “We die, Palestine lives!”
“To Jerusalem we march, martyrs by the millions!”

.@MargotWallstrom Why did same rally calling for murder of Jews also cry out “Long live Margot Wallström!”? They said you “have their back.” Is this who you fight for?@CarlBildt: Why did you just write op-ed dismissing antisemitism in Sweden & omit murder chants in your capital? pic.twitter.com/0ikwrXJAzz

— Hillel Neuer (@HillelNeuer) December 17, 2017

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Swedish FM: "Saudi Arabia can learn about women" on U.N. commission – Margot Wallström defends misogynists' election

unwatch — Sat, 06 May 2017 21:56:23 +0000

May 6, 2017 – Swedish foreign minister Margot Wallström defended the election of Saudi Arabia to the U.N. women’s rights commission, saying they “ought to be” there “to learn something about women.”

In the Commission of the Status of Women are almost one fourth of all the countries in this world: there is also Russia, Belarus, Iran, Pakistan. And if we would have as a criteria that they have an ambitious policy when it comes to women’s rights, very few countries would actually take place there.
If there is one place where they ought to be, to learn something about women, it is in the Commission on the Status of Women.
If it was about the policies that they have at home, maybe only Finland and Sweden would be left in the Commission of the Status of Women. I don’t think it would be a good idea.

No joke: Swedish FM @margotwallstrom defends Saudi Arabia's election to @UN_Women—because they will "learn something about women." #svpol pic.twitter.com/rX8H3HllBO

— UN Watch (@UNWatch) May 6, 2017

The post Swedish FM: "Saudi Arabia can learn about women" on U.N. commission – Margot Wallström defends misogynists' election appeared first on UN Watch.

Swedish Coverage: U.N. elects Saudi Arabia to Women’s Rights Commission

unwatch — Fri, 05 May 2017 07:40:04 +0000

Göteborgs-Posten, a major daily Swedish newspaper, quoted UN Watch’s Hillel Neuer: “Electing Saudi Arabia to protect women’s rights is like making an arsonist into the town fire chief.”
Expressen, a widely distributed evening tabloid also quoted Hillel Neuer: “At least 5 EU states voted FOR the Saudis.”
Borås Tidning, another Swedish daily quoted Hillel Neuer: “It is entirely up to the Swedish government to tell its citizens how it voted.”
The online magazine OmVärlden also quoted Hillel Neuer in its story.
Swedish parliamentarians demanded answers. On April 25, 2017, Swedish MP Sofia Arkelsten, member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, submitted a written question to the government and Jan Björklund, Chairman of the Liberal Democratic Party, also called for an explanation: “I hope it is not true that Sweden has voted Saudi Arabia to the UN Women Commission.”
On April 25, 2017, the government responds:
Prime Minister Stefan Löfven: “check with the Foreign Ministry”
Foreign Minister Margot Wallström wrote on Facebook: “The decision on how Sweden would act in the vote for the Women’s Commission last week was not something that was decided at the political level,” and stated that the government would reveal how it voted to the Foreign Policy Committee whose meetings are confidential.
Minister of Gender Equality Åsa Regnér said: “The UN is an organization of member states where everyone has an equal right to participate in the work of the organization.”
May 5, 2017: Swedish foreign minister Margot Wallström defends the election of Saudi Arabia, saying: Swedish FM Margot Wallstrom was asked about the election of Saudi Arabia to the UN women’s rights commission. Her response (May 6, 2017): “In the Commission of the Status of Women are almost one fourth of all the countries in this world: there is also Russia, Belarus, Iran, Pakistan. And if we would have as a criteria that they have an ambitious policy when it comes to women’s rights, very few countries would actually take place there. If there is one place where they ought to be, to learn something about women, it is in the Commission on the Status of Women. If it was about the policies that they have at home, maybe only Finland and Sweden would be left in the Commission of the Status of Women. I don’t think it would be a good idea.”

Swedish FM: If there is one place where Saudi Arabia ought to be—"to learn something about women"—it is the U.N. Women's Rights Commission. pic.twitter.com/o3B8ZTeoyt

— Hillel Neuer (@HillelNeuer) May 6, 2017

https://twitter.com/nbaa2t/status/860996169622802432

The more you subjugate, segregate, & oppress women, the more Swedish FM Margot Wallström wants you on the U.N.'s Women's Rights Commission. pic.twitter.com/aVRqVv7EAL

— UN Watch (@UNWatch) May 7, 2017

Svenska Dagbladet: UD: Sju länder lade ner sin röst om Saudiarabien
Quoted UN Watch:

Kritiken har också varit hård från till exempel människorättsorganisationen UN Watch som kallat det ”absurt” att saudierna ska kämpa mot kvinnoförtryck.

The Swedish Government and opposition parties:

S-MP government has so far refused to reveal how Sweden acted in the vote because it concerned a closed vote. Foreign Minister Margot Wallström points out that the stance is not “settled at the political level,” according to a post on Facebook.
In an interview with Svenska Dagbladet explained Swedish Ambassador Olof Skoog of Sweden normally follow the regions’ own nominations at the polls.
– We tend to respect the geographical group’s decision.
Liberals Party leader Jan Björklund has said it would “mean the collapse of the feminist foreign policy” if it turned out that Sweden has provided support to Saudi Arabia.
– I hope it is not true. Now you have to put the cards on the table.
According to previous statements by Margot Wallström, the government can reveal how Sweden voted in favor, but only for privacy at the next meeting of the Foreign Affairs Committee.

The State Department report that it found as many candidate countries in the Asian region’s nomination – Iraq, South Korea, Japan, Turkmenistan and Saudi Arabia – as there are places in the Commission, and the outcome was also a foregone conclusion, according to the written reply to SvD’s issues :
“Nominations occurs by regional groups to ensure that all regions are represented in the various committees. The preparation of candidates takes place in the context of each regional group. It normally results, as in this case, in as many candidates as there are seats. Therefore, adoption groups’ proposals.”

Svenska Dagbladet: Wallström about Saudi elections: “It is completely unimportant”
Quoting UN Watch:

Människorättsorganisationen UN Watch ser det som ”absurt” att saudierna ska kämpa mot kvinnoförtryck i FN med tanke på kvinnors ställning i landet.

The Swedish Government and opposition parties:

On Tuesday it emerged that Sweden continued to refuse to disclose how they voted when Saudi Arabia was elected to the UN Women’s Commission. Foreign Minister Margot Wallström told Svenska Dagbladet that “it is completely unimportant, and a pseudo-question”.

Gudrun Schyman is the spokesperson of Swedish political party Feminist Initiative:

Gudrun Schyman, who on Wednesday was on pre tour in Vastervik and Kalmar, is not impressed by the government’s position:
That it would be a non issue sounds strange. Instead, it is important that these key issues are discussed, says Gudrun Schyman.

Aftonbladet: The government refuses to talk about Saudi poll
The Swedish Government and opposition parties:

Sweden are members of ECOSOC, but the government has so far refused to reveal how they voted. Now one has to harsh criticism from the opposition.
– The government must put the cards on the table and tell us how Sweden voted. I hope it is not true that you voted in Saudi Arabia, the country with perhaps the absolutely grossest oppression of women, say the liberals Party leader Jan Björklund.
The government has only commented on the vote through a written statement from the Gender Equality Åsa Regnér.
“We note that Saudi Arabia has been nominated and elected to represent the geographical area, in accordance with the procedures of Women Commission. The UN is an organization made up of member states, where everyone has an equal right to participate in the work of the organization, “she wrote in an email to Aftonbladet

Expressen: Kritik mot FN-beslutet om Saudi: “Absurt”
Quoting UN Watch:

Det är oklart om Sverige röstade för eller emot Saudiarabien.
– Att låta Saudiarabien skydda kvinnors rättigheter är som att göra en pyroman till chef för brandkåren. Det är absurt, säger Hillel Neuer till den egna sajten.

Jan Björklund, leader of the Swedish Liberal Party:

Liberals Party leader Jan Björklund wants answers as soon as the foreign minister Margot Wallström.
– The government must give notice. I hope it is not true that Sweden has voted on Saudi Arabia to the UN Women Commission.
We do not know yet?
– No, and I hope it is not true. However, an overwhelming majority of the voting countries made it. It is in danger direction. So now you have to put the cards on the table.
– The red-green government took a hard struggle to Sweden would enter the UN Security Council and an important argument was that it would spread Swedish values, says Jan Björklund and further:
– This would mean the collapse of the feminist foreign policy. It was severely tarnished after the veil in Iran, but this incomprehensible in that case.

Nyheter Idag: Saudiarabien invalda i FN:s kvinnorättskommission – Hur Sverige röstade är hemligstämplat
Quoting UN Watch:

Varje saudisk kvinna måste ha en manlig väktare som fattar alla beslut åt henne och kontrollerar hennes liv från födseln till döden, säger Hillel Neuer, verkställande direktör för människorättsorganisationen UN Watch.

GP: Saudiarabien invalt i FN:s kvinnokommission
Quoting UN Watch:

Att Saudiarabien har valts in möts av starkt kritik från den fristående organisationen UN Watch.

Att utse Saudiarabien till att försvara kvinnors rättigheter är som att utse en mordbrännare till stadens brandmästare, säger Hillel Neuer, verkställande direktör på UN Watch, i ett uttalande på organisationens hemsida.
Neuer kallar fortsatt valet av Saudiarabien för absurt och trycker bland annat på att det till exempel är förbjudet för kvinnor att köra bil i landet.

Quote from the Foreign Ministry:

“We note that Saudi Arabia has been nominated and elected to represent the geographical area, in accordance with the procedures of Women Commission. The UN is an organization made up of member states, where everyone has an equal right to participate in the work of the organization. Elections to the women, the Commission made in the regional groups that each Member state belongs. Sweden supports CSW important work and welcomes dialogue on gender issues and women’s rights. This is also true for Saudi Arabia, says Åsa Regnér in a written comment to the GP.

Arbetaren: UD tyst om Saudiarabien i kvinnokommissionen
Quoting UN Watch:

Beslutet blev inte oväntat starkt kritiserat från kvinno- och människorättsorganisationer världen över och Hillel Neur, chef för organisationen UN Watch, beskriver det som ”att göra en pyroman till chef för stadens brandkår”.
Det svenska utrikesdepartementet har medgett att Sverige, som nyligen varit ordförande i FN:s säkerhetsråd och där regeringen säger sig föra en feministisk utrikespolitik, var med vid omröstningen men vägrar fortfarande tala om hur man röstade. Anledningen, menar UD, är att omröstningen var sluten. Men enligt UN Watch kan Sverige vara ett av de 15 demokratiska länder som röstat för.
Inte heller utrikesminister Margot Wallström vill tala om hur Sverige röstade, något som gjort att spekulationerna tagit ännu mer fart. Det finns nämligen, enligt UN Watch, ingenting som hindrar ett land att berätta hur de röstat i en sluten omröstning.
– Våra demokratier gör cyniska uppgörelser med diktaturer, något vi har sett i dokument som publiceras av Wikileaks. Där kunde vi se hur Saudiarabien gjorde upp med Storbritannien och Frankrike när det handlade om att bli invalt i FN:s råd för mänskliga rättigheter, säger Hillel Neuer i ett uttalande.

The Swedish Government:

Sweden has for a long time been selling arms and military equipment to Saudi Arabia, and as recently as last fall Prime Minister Stefan Löfven refused to call the country a dictatorship.
I’m not going to put labels on the country, his response was faced with a large number of journalists in Brussels just before the controversial trip to the capital Riyadh.
Margot Wallström has for the last days critical announced via their Facebook page that she will inform the other parliamentary parties on how the voice was at the next meeting of the Foreign Affairs Committee.

The post Swedish Coverage: U.N. elects Saudi Arabia to Women’s Rights Commission appeared first on UN Watch.

Calls for Belgian FM to Resign as Saudi-gate also roils Sweden, Ireland, Norway – Exposed by UN Watch

unwatch — Mon, 01 May 2017 01:51:31 +0000

UN Watch Sparks Firestorm Worldwide by Revealing Saudi Arabia’s Absurd Election to UN Women’s Rights Body; Opposition Leaders Demand Answers

The Secretary-General with H.E. Mr. Adel Ahmed Al-Jubeir, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

UN Watch’s exposure of the UN’s absurd election of Saudi Arabia, the world’s worst abuser of women’s rights, to the Commission on the Status of Women, has caught the world’s attention and sparked contentious debates in parliaments worldwide.
The story has been reported by major news outlets, including:

New York Times: In ‘absurd’ move, Saudi Arabia elected to U.N. women’s commission
Newsweek: Widespread Criticism Follows Saudi Arabia Joining UN Women’s Rights Group
CNN: Saudi Arabia’s election to UN women’s commission draws ire
The Chicago Tribune: Listing quote from Hillel Neuer as one of two top quotes of the day

Many more news stories worldwide listed here.

Timeline

April 19, 2017 – the UN Economic and Social Council issues press release announcing Saudi Arabia’s election to the Commission on the Status of Women.
April 22, 2017 – UN Watch publishes statement on its website condemning election of Saudi Arabia to Commission on the Status of Women: No Joke: UN Elects Saudi Arabia to Women’s Rights Commission.
April 23, 2017 – UN Watch begin posting about the election on Facebook and Twitter. The story quickly goes viral. The initial Facebook post has almost 10,000 shares. The initial tweet is retweeted more than 1,000 times. Hillel Neuer’s April 23, 2017 Tweet “At least 5 EU states voted FOR the Saudis” is retweeted 880 times and quoted extensively by the news media.
April 24, 2017 – Major media outlets publish stories about the absurd election: New York Times, Newsweek, Fox News, National Review, Huffington Post Canada, Germany’s Bild, France’s i24 News, and many others. UN Watch’s Hillel Neuer is interviewed on Israel’s i24News English. The interview has 30,000 views on Facebook.
April 25, 2017 – UN Watch’s Hillel Neuer is interviewed on France24. Outraged parliamentarians around the world begin to speak out and question their governments.
IRELAND

Cabinet Ministers belonging to the Independent Alliance said they want the Department of Foreign Affairs to disclose how Ireland voted on Saudi Arabia’s membership of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. Minister for Transport Shane Ross said there should be transparency, indicating that the issue is likely to be raised at Cabinet next week.
Minister of State John Halligan said the rights of women were being violated and that could not be tolerated.
However, Minister for Foreign Affairs Charlie Flanagan refused to disclose how Ireland voted, citing established diplomatic practice of member states not disclosing their voting intentions or voting decisions as the reason for his stance.
The issue of was raised in the Dáil (parliament) on repeated occasions. Fianna Fáil spokesman on foreign affairs Darragh O’Brien said he hoped Ireland played no part in facilitating that position. “Do our Government, through you, deem it appropriate that Saudi Arabia sit on a United Nations Commission on the status of women?” he asked. “Is it a question of trade ahead of human rights?” He said any person who knows anything about Saudi Arabia’s track record of treating women “would find it absolutely disgusting that the Irish Government would support” the move.
Independents4Change MP Mick Wallace, quoting UN Watch, said: “You would struggle to find any country in the world where women are treated so poorly than Saudi Arabia”. He said that the people of Ireland suspect that “diplomacy and trade interests have won out and human rights have lost out.”
Independents4Change MP Clare Daly said that the minister “cannot hide behind a spurious precedent” in not disclosing how Ireland voted.
Erin Kilbride of the human rights organisation Front Line Defenders said Ireland’s international reputation on human rights could now be questioned. “If Ireland stays silent on this, it says they no longer support the 50 per cent of the population of Saudi Arabia who cannot control their own lives.

For news articles and videos, click here
NORWAY
In Norway, the story was published extensively in the media between April 24 and 26, 2017 and the issue led to a heated debate between parliamentarians and the government:

Aftenposten, Norway’s largest printed newspaper, published a major story quoting UN Watch’s Hillel Neuer: “Electing Saudi Arabia to protect women’s rights is like making an arsonist into the town fire chief.”
NRK, Norway’s largest media organization also quoted Hillel Neuer extensively: “Saudi discrimination against women is gross and systematic in law and in practice.” In addition NRK radio broadcast a segment on the story, interviewing Hillel Neuer along with Norwegian parliamentarians and government officials.
Norway’s edition of The Local, a source for English language digital news in countries across Europe, quoted UN Watch’s Hillel Neuer extensively: “why did the U.N. choose the world’s leading oppressor of women to promote gender equality and the empowerment of women?”
NewsinEnglish.no, another online Norwegian English language publication noted: “The issue brought rare agreement between SV on the far left of Norwegian politics and the progress party on the far right.”
On April 26, 2017, members of Norway’s parliament on both sides, including Liberal leader Trine Skei Grande, Christian Democrat Knut Arild Hareide and Socialist Left party leader Audun Lysbakken, demanded to know how Norway voted. They raised the issue in parliament. Grande said: “I think it is important to be open about how Norway votes internationally. This is an alarming enough result for there to be good reason to make [the Norwegian vote] public.” Hareide said: “We probably can’t stop them from being voted in, but Norway should not have supported it and we ought to be clear about what we have done.”
On April 26, 2017, the government responded: “Norway won’t make public how we vote in secret UN elections,” said Foreign Minister Børge Brende; “Voting in connection with UN candidatures within the UN is not public,” said Frode O. Andersen, Foreign Ministry Head of Communications.

SWEDEN
Similarly, in Sweden, the media published the story between April 24 and 25, 2017, reporting that Swedish parliamentarians challenged their government on its vote:

Göteborgs-Posten, a major daily Swedish newspaper, quoted UN Watch’s Hillel Neuer: “Electing Saudi Arabia to protect women’s rights is like making an arsonist into the town fire chief.”
Expressen, a widely distributed evening tabloid also quoted Hillel Neuer: “At least 5 EU states voted FOR the Saudis.”
Borås Tidning, another Swedish daily quoted Hillel Neuer: “It is entirely up to the Swedish government to tell its citizens how it voted.”
The online magazine OmVärlden also quoted Hillel Neuer in its story.
Swedish parliamentarians demanded answers. On April 25, 2017, Swedish MP Sofia Arkelsten, member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, submitted a written question to the government and Jan Björklund, Chairman of the Liberal Democratic Party, also called for an explanation: “I hope it is not true that Sweden has voted Saudi Arabia to the UN Women Commission.”
On April 25, 2017, the government responds:
Prime Minister Stefan Löfven: “check with the Foreign Ministry”
Foreign Minister Margot Wallström wrote on Facebook: “The decision on how Sweden would act in the vote for the Women’s Commission last week was not something that was decided at the political level,” and stated that the government would reveal how it voted to the Foreign Policy Committee whose meetings are confidential.
Minister of Gender Equality Åsa Regnér said: “The UN is an organization of member states where everyone has an equal right to participate in the work of the organization.”
May 5, 2017: Swedish foreign minister Margot Wallström defends the election of Saudi Arabia, saying: Swedish FM Margot Wallstrom was asked about the election of Saudi Arabia to the UN women’s rights commission. Her response (May 6, 2017): “In the Commission of the Status of Women are almost one fourth of all the countries in this world: there is also Russia, Belarus, Iran, Pakistan. And if we would have as a criteria that they have an ambitious policy when it comes to women’s rights, very few countries would actually take place there. If there is one place where they ought to be, to learn something about women, it is in the Commission on the Status of Women. If it was about the policies that they have at home, maybe only Finland and Sweden would be left in the Commission of the Status of Women. I don’t think it would be a good idea.”

Swedish FM: If there is one place where Saudi Arabia ought to be—"to learn something about women"—it is the U.N. Women's Rights Commission. pic.twitter.com/o3B8ZTeoyt

— Hillel Neuer (@HillelNeuer) May 6, 2017

The more you subjugate, segregate, & oppress women, the more Swedish FM Margot Wallström wants you on the U.N.'s Women's Rights Commission. pic.twitter.com/aVRqVv7EAL

— UN Watch (@UNWatch) May 7, 2017

DENMARK
Denmark, though not a member of the UN Economic and Social Council that voted Saudi Arabia onto the Women’s Commission, covered the issue critically in its news outlets on April 25 and 26, 2017:

Jyllands-Posten International, one of Denmark’s largest selling newspapers, referenced UN Watch’s statistics on how many EU countries voted for Saudi Arabia.
Politiken, a leading Danish newspaper, quoted Hillel Neuer: “Electing Saudi Arabia to protect women’s rights is like making an arsonist into the town fire chief.”
Kristelight Dagblad, another Danish daily quoted Hillel Neuer: “Why did the UN choose the world’s leading oppressor of women to promote gender equality?”
Danish politician Jakob Engel Schmidt, spokesman for the governing Liberal party called the vote “deeply bizarre.”

BELGIUM
In Belgium, the story broke on April 24, 2017 and is still generating headlines. Politicians on all sides were highly critical of the government’s apparent ‘yes’ vote, forcing a public apology from the Prime Minister.

La Libre, a widely circulated Belgian French daily, published the story quoting UN Watch’s Hillel Neuer: “petro-dollars make it possible to buy everything, even a political profit.”
Le Soir, Belgium’s other main French daily, also quoted Hillel Neuer in its story.
De Standaard, Belgium’s main Flemish daily accused the Belgian government of having voted to elect Saudi Arabia and quoted UN Watch’s statement that five European countries had to have voted for Saudi Arabia in order for it to get elected.
The Belgian news agency Belga, headlined its story: “Belgium has probably supported the accession of Saudi Arabia to the UN committee on the Rights of Women.”
Belgian politicians castigated the government. On April 26, 2017, Belgian MP Wouter de Vriendt asked a parliamentary question about Belgium’s vote and said: “A positive vote from Belgium is simply shocking.” Els Van Hoof of the Christian Democrats said that defending a ‘yes’ vote is equivalent to admitting a vote for the misogynistic regime. Yasmine Kherbache of the Socialist Party accused the government of legitimizing “a regime that violates women’s rights every day.”
On April 26, 2017, the government responds: Foreign Minister Didier Reynders issued a contradictory statement about the vote. He refused to confirm how Belgium voted, but justified the election of Saudi Arabia on multiple grounds. He said: “I strongly support multilateral meetings… including with countries with which we do not share the same opinions” and “Not entering into a debate with countries with which we do not agree within multilateral organizations involves a tremendous risk.” He also defended the decision on pragmatic grounds, suggesting that the election should have proceeded, as usual, without a vote in this type of situation where Saudi Arabia was running unopposed because “Western countries are far from holding a majority at the UN, and this may end up making it so that we are no longer elected to organizations of this type.” At the same time, he expressed that “Belgium is in no way pleased with the election of Saudi Arabia onto this commission.” Deputy Prime Minister Alexander de Croo did not disclose Belgium’s vote, but appeared surprised and said that he would not have voted in favor of Saudi Arabia.
On April 27, 2017, the government took a different tone. Prime Minister Charles Michel said he regretted the vote and that: “If we could do it again and if it was possible to proceed with a political assessment at the government level, I of course would have pleaded against a favorable vote.” He also reportedly called for the resignation of Foreign Minister Reynders over his handling of the matter. For his part, Foreign Minister Reynders said that he wants to change Belgium’s procedure for voting for candidates at the UN.

See:

UK
As of April 29, 2017, after the Belgian Prime Minister apologized, the UK Foreign Office still refused to disclose how it voted, as reported by The Independent.
AUSTRALIA
In Australia, the government also dodged the question, as reported in the news on April 25 and 26, 2017.

The New Daily, a major source for online news in Australia, quoted extensively from UN Watch’s online statement about the absurdity of the vote. The article also quoted a separate statement from Hillel Neuer: “Australia is not responsible for the fact that the Asian group put up no other candidates, but it could and should have voted against Saudi Arabia, and should have convinced its allies to do the same.”
Australia Broadcasting Corporation, Australia’s national public broadcaster, also published the story noting that former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark responded to UN Watch’s Hillel Neuer on Twitter defending the vote: “It’s important to support those in the country who are working for change for women,” she said.
The government responds: A spokeswoman for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade refused to disclose Australia’s vote, saying: “Places on the Commission on the Status of Women are allocated according to regional groupings.”

SAUDI REGIME REACTS
On April 26, 2017, Saudi Arabia went on the defensive in responding to the media and political maelstrom:

In an Op-ed by the Saudi Ambassador to Norway published in NRK, Norway’s largest media outlet: “Saudi women are not oppressed. It’s not Norway’s problem that Saudi women cannot drive.”
The Saudi Arabian government’s Bureau of International Communication and Media took to its twitter account, which it had used only sporadically before, with several tweets attacking France 24’s news coverage, claiming France 24 got the facts about Saudi women’s rights wrong.

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Hypocrisy: Sweden to present U.N. resolution on Iran's human rights record

unwatch — Thu, 16 Feb 2017 22:01:23 +0000

Sweden has just announced that it will introduce a U.N. resolution on Iran’s human rights record—at the same time as its leaders are being ridiculed worldwide for selling out Iranian women’s rights in their visit this week to Tehran.
In a statement that went viral on Twitter and Facebook, UN Watch, a non-governmental human rights NGO in Geneva, slammed Sweden’s self-declared “first feminist government in the world” for having sacrificed its principles and betrayed the rights of Iranian women as trade minister Ann Linde and other female members walked before Iranian President Rouhani on Saturday wearing Hijabs, Chadors, and long coats indoors, all in deference to Iran’s oppressive and unjust forced Hijab law — despite Stockholm’s promise to promote “a gender equality perspective” internationally, and to adopt a “feminist foreign policy” in which “equality between women and men is a fundamental aim.”
In doing so, Sweden’s female leaders ignored the recent appeal by Iranian women’s right activist Masih Alinejad who urged Europeans female politicians “to stand for their own dignity” and to refuse to kowtow to the compulsory Hijab while visiting Iran.
Alinrejad created a Facebook page for Iranian women to resist the law and show their hair as an act of resistance, which now numbers 1 million followers.
“European female politicians are hypocrites,” says Alinejad. “They stand with French Muslim women and condemn the burkini ban—because they think compulsion is bad—but when it happens to Iran, they just care about money.”
The scene in Tehran on Saturday was also a sharp contrast to Deputy Prime Minister Isabella Lövin’s feminist stance against U.S. President Donald Trump, in a viral tweet and then in a Guardian op-ed last week, in which she wrote that “the world need strong leadership for women’s rights.”
There was another stark contrast: in the same week as the Swedes wore their Hijabs, Tehran hosted the world competition in women’s chess, a number of young female chess champions from around the world gave up their chance to win a world prize because they refused to submit to the required Hijab and Iran’s discrimination against women.
Trade minister Linde, who signed multiple agreements with Iranian ministers while wearing a veil, “sees no conflict” between her government’s human rights policy and signing trade deals with an oppressive dictatorship that tortures prisoners, persecutes gays, and is a leading executioner of minors.
“If Sweden really cares about human rights, they should not be empowering a regime that brutalizes its own citizens while carrying out genocide in Syria; and if they care about women’s rights, then the female ministers never should have gone to misogynistic Iran in the first place,” said UN Watch executive director Hillel Neuer.
The government has now come under sharp criticism from centrist and left-wing Swedish lawmakers, who said the ministers should not have deferred to “gender apartheid.”

“They go to my country,” said Aliinejad recently in the European Parliament, “and they ignore millions of those women who send their photos to me and put themselves in danger to be heard. And [the European politicians] keep their smile, and wearing hijab, and saying this is a ‘cultural issue’—which is wrong.”

This week 2 female chess champs gave up chance to win World Prize. #Iran host wanted to force them to wear #Hijabs—and they said No. #Heroes pic.twitter.com/ETQJEOlTZM

— Hillel Neuer (@HillelNeuer) February 15, 2017

Trade Minister Ann Linde, Who Oversees “Feminist Foreign Policy, Adds Black Cloak
Trade minister Ann Linde, one of three Swedish ministers who oversees the country’s “feminist foreign policy,” decided voluntarily to go covered in a long black coat, akin to the Chador, in addition to covering her hair with the compulsory Hijab. She is seen below meeting President Rouhani, and then signing one of multiple agreements with representatives of the theocratic regime.

Just signed referral of Swedish #climate law, binding all future governments to net zero emissions by 2045. For a safer and better future. pic.twitter.com/OqOO2y8BU6

— Isabella Lövin 🌻 (@IsabellaLovin) February 3, 2017

Writing in the Guardian, Deputy prime minister Lövin contrasted Swedish policy with that of President Donald Trump, saying that the world “needs strong leadership for women’s rights” and “Sweden will have an increasingly important role to play in this.” She added that “many countries could learn an important lesson from this.”
Her viral tweet above was meant to emphasize her government’s focus on women’s rights, as opposed to Trump.

Walk of shame: Women of Sweden's "first feminist government in the world" don hijab as they walk past Iran's Rouhani https://t.co/aeEFgibVhV pic.twitter.com/urHrtObkYv

— Hillel Neuer (@HillelNeuer) February 12, 2017

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Issue 622: Sweden's Hijabs in Iran

unwatch — Mon, 13 Feb 2017 10:05:40 +0000

Walk of Shame: Sweden’s “first feminist government in the world” don Hijabs for Iran’s President Rouhani

GENEVA, Feb. 13, 2017 — In a statement that has gone viral on Twitter and Facebook, UN Watch expressed disappointment that Sweden’s self-described “first feminist government in the world” sacrificed its principles and betrayed the rights of Iranian women as trade minister Ann Linde led other female members in walking before Iranian President Rouhani on Saturday covered in Hijabs, Chadors, and long coats, in deference to Iran’s oppressive, discriminatory and unjust modesty laws which make the Hijab compulsory — despite the Swedish government’s promise to promote “a gender equality perspective” internationally, and to adopt a “feminist foreign policy” in which “equality between women and men is a fundamental aim.”
In doing so, Sweden’s female leaders ignored the appeal by Iranian women’s right activist Masih Alinejad who urged European female politicians “to stand for their own dignity” and to refuse to kowtow to the compulsory and discriminatory Hijab law while visiting Iran.
Alinrejad created a Facebook page for Iranian women to show pictures of their uncovered hair as an act of resistance, a page which now numbers 1 million followers.
“European female politicians are hypocrites,” says Alinejad. “They stand with French Muslim women and condemn the Burkini ban—because they think compulsion is bad—but when it happens to Iran, they just care about money.”
The scene in Tehran on Saturday was also a sharp contrast to Deputy Prime Minister Isabella Lövin’s feminist stance against U.S. President Donald Trump, in a viral tweet and then in a Guardian op-ed last week, in which she wrote that “the world need strong leadership for women’s rights.”
Trade Minister Linde, who signed multiple agreements with Iranian ministers while wearing a veil, “sees no conflict” between her government’s human rights policy and signing trade deals with an oppressive dictatorship that tortures prisoners, persecutes gays, and is a leading executioner of minors.
If Sweden really cares about human rights, they should not be empowering a regime that brutalizes its own citizens while carrying out genocide in Syria; and if they care about women’s rights, then the female—and male—ministers never should never have gone to misogynistic Iran in the first place.
The Swedish government has now come under sharp criticism from centrist and left-wing Swedish lawmakers, who said the ministers should not have deferred to “gender apartheid.”

Meanwhile: 23-year-old U.S. Women’s Chess Champion Refused to Play This Week in Iran

By contrast, U.S. women’s chess champion Nazi Paikidze refused to play in this week’s women’s world championship, because it is being held in Iran.
“By participating, I would be forced to submit to forms of oppression designed specifically for women,” says the Las Vegas-based Paikidze, 23.
Paikidze was even wiling to sacrifice her dreams. “I would rather not be a world champion,” she says. “Human rights stand above chess and everything else.”

The post Issue 622: Sweden's Hijabs in Iran appeared first on UN Watch.

Walk of shame: Sweden's "first feminist government" don hijabs in Iran

unwatch — Sun, 12 Feb 2017 15:02:03 +0000

GENEVA, Feb. 13, 2017 — In a statement that has gone viral on Twitter and Facebook, UN Watch, a non-governmental human rights NGO in Geneva, expressed disappointment that Sweden’s self-declared “first feminist government in the world” sacrificed its principles and betrayed the rights of Iranian women as Trade Minister Ann Linde and other female members walked before Iranian President Rouhani on Saturday wearing Hijabs, Chadors, and long coats, in deference to Iran’s oppressive and unjust modesty laws which make the Hijab compulsory — despite Stockholm’s promise to promote “a gender equality perspective” internationally, and to adopt a “feminist foreign policy” in which “equality between women and men is a fundamental aim.”
In doing so, Sweden’s female leaders ignored the recent appeal by Iranian women’s right activist Masih Alinejad who urged Europeans female politicians “to stand for their own dignity” and to refuse to kowtow to the compulsory Hijab while visiting Iran.
Alinrejad created a Facebook page for Iranian women to resist the law and show their hair as an act of resistance, which now numbers 1 million followers.
“European female politicians are hypocrites,” says Alinejad. “They stand with French Muslim women and condemn the burkini ban—because they think compulsion is bad—but when it happens to Iran, they just care about money.”
The scene in Tehran on Saturday was also a sharp contrast to Deputy Prime Minister Isabella Lövin’s feminist stance against U.S. President Donald Trump, in a viral tweet and then in a Guardian op-ed last week, in which she wrote that “the world need strong leadership for women’s rights.”
There was another stark contrast: in the same week as the Swedes wore their Hijabs, Tehran hosted the world competition in women’s chess, and numerous female chess champions from around the world gave up their chance to win a world prize because they refused to submit to the required Hijab and Iran’s discrimination against women.
Trade Minister Linde, who signed multiple agreements with Iranian ministers while wearing a veil, “sees no conflict” between her government’s human rights policy and signing trade deals with an oppressive dictatorship that tortures prisoners, persecutes gays, and is a leading executioner of minors.
“If Sweden really cares about human rights, they should not be empowering a regime that brutalizes its own citizens while carrying out genocide in Syria; and if they care about women’s rights, then the female ministers never should have gone to misogynistic Iran in the first place,” said UN Watch executive director Hillel Neuer.
The government has now come under sharp criticism from centrist and left-wing Swedish lawmakers, who said the ministers should not have deferred to “gender apartheid.”

This week 2 female chess champs gave up chance to win World Prize. #Iran host wanted to force them to wear #Hijabs—and they said No. #Heroes pic.twitter.com/ETQJEOlTZM

— Hillel Neuer (@HillelNeuer) February 15, 2017

Just signed referral of Swedish #climate law, binding all future governments to net zero emissions by 2045. For a safer and better future. pic.twitter.com/OqOO2y8BU6

— Isabella Lövin 🌻 (@IsabellaLovin) February 3, 2017

Walk of shame: Women of Sweden's "first feminist government in the world" don hijab as they walk past Iran's Rouhani https://t.co/aeEFgibVhV pic.twitter.com/urHrtObkYv

— Hillel Neuer (@HillelNeuer) February 12, 2017

4/ SHAME: Submission to Islamic Republic of #Iran by Swedish Trade Minister @AnnLinde—who helps oversee Sweden's "#feminist foreign policy." pic.twitter.com/ECuu5NV6SD

— Hillel Neuer (@HillelNeuer) February 12, 2017

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Sverige inför FN om antisemitismen i Malmö

Luis Pelaez — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 16:49:34 +0000

Sept. 6, 2012
Svenska Dagbladet
By Per Gudmundson

Antisemitismen i Malmö har nu lett till att organisationen UN Watch uppmärksammar FN på problemen. Saken anses extra allvarlig med tanke på Sveriges kandidatur till FN:s råd för mänskliga rättigheter.

FN:s generalsekreterare har från UN Watch mottagit ett skriftligt uttalande där en rad antisemitiska incidenter noteras (bland annat med hänvisning till rapporteringen från ledarsidans medarbetare Paulina Neuding), varefter särskilda rekommendationer ges. UN Watch menar att Sveriges trovärdighet i frågor om mänskliga rättigheter står på spel.

”Sweden should demonstrate its commitment to combating anti-Jewish racism through the following five steps:

• Official acknowledgement that the problem of antisemitism in Malmö is genuine and intolerable.

• Officially reprimand Malmö mayor Ilmar Reepalu for his multiple defamatory and incendiary remarks concerning the Jewish community in Malmö and the antisemitism it faces.

• Develop and implement special initiatives aimed at educating against antisemitism in Malmö, with a particular emphasis on schools.

• Enhance security around Jewish sites and activities to ensure that they are protected from vandalism, abuse, and assault.

• Allocate sufficient resources to ensure the thorough and timely investigation of antisemitic incidents in Malmö and the prosecution of perpetrators.

Implementing these measures is essential to tackling the problem of antisemitism in Malmö.

Sweden is bound by international law to combating the scourge of antisemitism. ICERD and the ICCPR demand that the human rights of Jews in Malmö be adequately protected. It is time for the Swedish government to demonstrate a serious commitment to ensuring respect for the human rights of all of Malmö’s residents. The credibility of Sweden’s candidacy for membership in the UN Human Rights Council depends on it.

Original URL: https://blog.svd.se/ledarbloggen/2012/09/06/sverige-infor-fn-om-antisemitismen-i-malmo/

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