“Wallström – time to stop defaming Israel”
“Debater: Sweden must stand up for Middle east’s only stable democracy.”
“This is an opinion piece. It is the writer who stands for the views that are put forward in the text, not Against.”
“the DEBATE. The prestigious magazine The Economist recently published its demokratiindex for 2018. Sweden is pleased to see the third best country in the world when it comes to the state of democracy. “
“Throughout the analysis is that the countries of Western europe and north America will receive the highest investments, while developments in north Africa and the Middle east is closest to the catastrophic. “
“A brilliant exception – Israel. “
“In demokratiindexet, which in total covers 167 countries, found Israel on the site 30. Thus, placing the country ahead of the EU-members austria, Belgium, Greece and Italy. What applies to countries in the Middle east, it is only Tunisia, on site 63, which in addition to Israel are among the nations that, according to the analysis can be termed as democratic. “
“At the bottom of the index are found countries such as saudi Arabia, Iran, Syria, and Yemen. The palestinian territories can be found at the location 109, a far cry from the definition of democracy. “
“Israel’s score has trended improved in the last ten years. Other countries in the region, such as Turkey, Syria, Iran, Lebanon and the palestinian territories goes in exactly the opposite direction. Over time, they are assigned a worse score and the ports are thus further and further down in the annual statement.”
“At the side of his demokratiindex publishes the Economist magazine also a special assessment of press freedom in the world. The scale goes from zero to ten, where grades nine and ten means ”complete freedom”. Israel may in this wide press freedom index, a ninth, same score as stable democracies as Norway, the united kingdom, France, Germany and the Netherlands. “
“the Countries in the Middle east has generally low score, and is defined as ”unfree”. Iran is assigned a logical one, saudi Arabia, Turkey and Syria will receive a grade of zero.”
“Other reputable documentation and instruments to evaluate and compare the democracy in the world is the annual reports from The Economist Intelligence Unit and the political independence of the research institute Freedom House. These reports have been widely publicised, not least in the scientific community, and covers diverse aspects of democracy. “
“With 79 points out of a possible 100 reaches Israel, also of Freedom House, the highest level and is defined as ”free”. In other parts of the Middle east and north Africa, it is only Tunisia that reaches up to the same definition, while, for example, Turkey, Egypt and the palestinian territories may be the worst reviewed; ”non-free”. Lebanon and Jordan receives a rating of ”partly free.” “
“A summary assessment is that Israel over time is the Middle east’s only stable democracy – the country has long been a leader when it comes to democratic reforms and respect for human rights. In a severely bruised region where some of the world’s most authoritarian regimes to control and where the gloomy trend is that democracy is weakened, this is an outstanding development. “
“all the more impressive becomes the israeli democracy in light of the exceptional security vulnerability that the country experienced since the founding in 1948. Despite wars and terrorist attacks, despite an environment of more or less brutal dictatorships, Israel has managed to safeguard the common institutions and the development of democracy.”
“This is a fact well worth to learn and reflect on – not least in the Swedish debate. For a long time, vänsterföreträdare in politics and the media have conveyed an image of Israel that is not only unbalanced, but also untrue. “
“When Israel is portrayed as a apartheidstat, when the country’s arab minority are described as second-class citizens, when tillvitelser on extrajudicial executions thrown around in the debate, this is not seldom the case aware blackening. “
“This blackening, and the warped beliefs that follow in its tracks has ultimately led to that Sweden today is one of Europe’s most Israelfientliga countries. Nowhere is noted with such satisfaction that at the diktaturregimer and terrorist organisations as long as together in the one overall goal; to annihilate the state of Israel. “
“In the fight between democracy and dictatorship, it is not acceptable to hesitate. Therefore, it is now up to the credentials of the newly appointed government, and Margot Wallström. When will we see a new and balanced Swedish Mellanösterpolitik? Will the government stand up for democracy – and Israel? “
“nLars Adaktusson, chairman of the friendship association Sweden-Israel. Mp and foreign policy spokesperson (KD)”