Israel ambassador to make Sweden return

In a statement on the Israeli embassy website Bachman said the date of his intended return to Swedish shores was significant. 

"This date is symbolic since it was November 29th1947, when the United Nations general assembly officially recognized the state of Israel. This date demonstrates Israel's willingness to compromise, when Israel accepted the partition plan, while the Palestinians rejected it. Something they continue to do to this day, including all attempts to reach a peace agreement," Bachman wrote.

Last month the new Swedish government sparked a diplomatic crisis when it officially decided to recognize Palestine.

Following the announcement, Israel recalled Bachman back to Jerusalem for crunch talks. He said that the decision to recognize Palestine was "premature and counterproductive."

Sweden's ambassador to Israel, Magnus Nesser, said he was very keen for Bachman to return to Stockholm, stating that both nations have a long relationship.

"Sweden believes in Israeli innovation and wants to promote cooperation in this field as well. There are also disagreements between us of course, but that's no reason to ignore all the good things that happen between the two countries," said Nesser in a recent interview with Israeli media.

Meanwhile Sweden's Foreign Minister Margot Wallström has defended the decision to recognize Palestine saying in parliament that it was "right, right, right."

But centre-right Moderate Party MP Hans Wallmark said that the government had made an error in judgement saying that it was "wrong, wrong, wrong."

"I continue to maintain that it was right," said Wallström in a debate with Wallmark, Mathias Sundin (Liberal Party) and Sofia Damm (Christian Democrats).

She added that the hoped the move would open "political space" and stimulate the debate over the Middle East in other countries.  

TT/The Local/pr