Sweden says it won’t open Ramallah embassy
Despite recognition of Palestinian state, Stockholm says Jerusalem consulate to manage diplomatic affairs
STOCKHOLM — Sweden said Monday it will not open an embassy in Ramallah, even though it has officially recognized the state of Palestine, becoming the first major EU nation to do so.
“Nobody has opened an embassy in Ramallah, and we think that this can be managed by the consulate in Jerusalem, which is a satisfactory solution for us,” Foreign Minister Margot Wallstroem told Swedish public radio.
Sweden last month officially recognized the state of Palestine, a move that infuriated Israel, which responded by recalling its ambassador to Stockholm.
“The ambassador is currently in Jerusalem for consultations. We don’t know when he will return,” said Uri Rothman, the charge d’affaires at the Israeli embassy in Sweden.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, whose headquarters are in the West Bank city of Ramallah, hailed Sweden’s recognition as “courageous and historic.”
According to the Palestinian Authority, around 135 countries have recognized the state of Palestine, including several nations that are now EU members.