Sweden halts development aid to Palestinians, says cannot waste tax-payers’ money

Sweden has temporarily halted development aid to Palestinian territories following a surprise attack by Hamas militants on Israel over the weekend, Development Minister Johan Forssell told a news conference on Tuesday.

European Union foreign ministers are meeting on Tuesday to work out divisions among its 27 members over whether to continue aid payments to Palestinians a day after the European Commission backtracked on an announcement suspending all such aid.

“We have a new situation after the 7th of October,” Forssell told reporters. “Our decision today is that Sweden will … pause development aid to Palestine until further notice.”

Neighbouring Denmark announced earlier on Tuesday that it would pause its aid.

The government said it had also given the development agency SIDA the task of reviewing aid to Palestinians and to report by the start of December.

“We don’t want Swedish tax-payers’ money going to actors who don’t have a very clear view on these totally fundamental questions; where they reject terrorism,” Forsell said.

“But humanitarian aid will continue and will not be paused as a result of this decision.”