A just peace in Israel and Palestine must rest on the equal value and equal rights of people. The way forward must rest on international law and the International Court of Justice's (ICJ) analyses, and calls to Sweden.
The International Court of Justice in The Hague has found that Israel practices racial discrimination, that an annexation has taken place and that the occupation is illegal.
In Gaza, an additional 1,400 Palestinians, including 200 children, have been killed since the "ceasefire" that began on October 11, 2025. Since the heinous attacks by Hamas on October 7, 2023, when approximately 1,200 people were killed in Israel, approximately 74,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, including over 21,600 children, and 175,000 damaged.
The humanitarian situation remains catastrophic for around two million people who are crammed into less than 40 percent of Gaza's surface. The lack of food, housing, sanitation, electricity and medical equipment is exacerbated by Israeli restrictions.
Despite three encouraging decisions by the International Court of Justice to Israel, the blockade of Gaza, which has been ongoing since 2007, continues.
The UN reports continued blocking of life-saving supplies, fuel and materials to repair electricity supplies, despite three direct appeals from the International Court of Justice. Despite three encouraging decisions by the International Court of Justice to Israel, the blockade of Gaza, which has been ongoing since 2007, continues.
In the West Bank, settler violence, displacement and lethal violence have increased. Israeli military and settlers have forced people from over 150 Palestinian villages to abandon their homes. At the same time, the settlements have grown from around 250,000 inhabitants in the 1990s to around 750,000 today. They have grown successively, regardless of Israeli governments and periods of ongoing peace negotiations.
Settlement construction, demolition of Palestinian homes and taking over of land continue despite this being against international law. Settlers have completely different rights than the Palestinians and live as neighbors in the West Bank. They receive subsidized housing, road networks, electricity, water and military commands as part of the Israeli military. Settlers have the right to vote for the government that runs it all. A right the Palestinian neighbors do not have.
The Palestinians usually own the land on which the settlements are built. This at the same time as Palestinian villages' electricity supply is demolished, their water systems are destroyed, their water wells are filled with cement, their sheep and goats are stolen and their olive trees are destroyed by bulldozers. Palestinians who protest risk imprisonment under martial law and without due process. The Israeli human rights organization B'Tselem describes this as a state strategy to eliminate the Palestinians' ability to exist.
Palestinian Christians are also affected. In Taybeh, Christians have not been able to harvest their olive groves for years due to violence and threats. In Bethlehem, people's freedom of movement is restricted by settlements and new roadblocks. The Nassar Christian family, owners of the Tent of Nations educational and environmental farm outside Bethlehem, are fighting Israeli courts in a righteous non-violent struggle to keep the land they demonstrably own.
The EU has suspended agreements with other countries over 20 times citing the agreement's requirement to respect human rights, but not with Israel
The EU has long described the settlements and demolitions as violations of international law, but has not agreed on effective measures. The EU's cooperation agreement with Israel presupposes respect for human rights. The EU has suspended agreements with other countries over 20 times citing the agreement's requirement to respect human rights, but not with Israel.
As a member of the UN, Sweden has a responsibility to follow the International Court of Justice's advisory opinions and specific call to states to ensure that "trade and investments do not contribute to the illegal situation" with occupation, settlements and other violations of international law.
One violation of international law never justifies another. Hamas' attack on October 7 was a crime that cannot be excused or relativized. At the same time, Israeli attacks that do not sufficiently distinguish between civilian and military targets must be condemned. Reports of widespread destruction of homes and other civilian infrastructure in Gaza raise serious questions about compliance with international law. The Genocide Convention places a responsibility on states to prevent genocide. Access to food, medicines and other necessities of life must not be used as bargaining chips.
It is important, however, that responsibility for crimes should not be collectively placed on either Jews or Muslims. Racism does not belong in the discussion of responsibility.
Swedish Christianity, churches and communities need to reformulate their description of reality and show ways forward for a just peace
Sweden's churches and communities profess the equal dignity and rights of people. Swedish Christianity, churches and communities need to reformulate their description of reality and show ways forward for a just peace in Israel and Palestine. Passivity in the face of racial discrimination, displacement and occupation cannot be acceptable.
As priests, pastors, former bishops and otherwise active in Sweden's Christian churches and communities, we see four concrete measures that a Swedish government should take.
We call on the Swedish government to fulfill its responsibility by:
1. Actively work for justice according to UN resolutions and support the Palestinians' right to a state of their own according to the 1967 borders.
2. Actively work for Israel to fulfill its obligations under international law and work for humanitarian aid to be allowed in without obstacles.
3. Ensure that Sweden does not in any way contribute to the illegal occupation, including by prohibiting financial support and cooperation with illegal settlements and suspending military cooperation.
4. Give support and assistance to the victims of the occupation and to Israeli and Palestinian organizations that defend the equal value of people and democracy and work for accountability.
Read more articles from DN Debatt:
Ove Bring, Mark Klamberg, Said Mahmoudi and Pål Wrange: "So international law is mostly for seminars? Ok, let's have one"
