150 protest against Sweden-Israel handball game

On the 12th of June, Sweden played Israel in a European Championship qualifying match in handball in Karlskrona, southern Sweden. Several organisations participated in a peaceful protest rally held outside the stadium, calling for the Israeli national team not to be welcomed to Sweden as long as the occupation is continuing and the Palestinians are prevented from exercising sport, unless the Israeli team or its covenant openly rejects the occupation.

Per Gahrton, Chairperson of the Palestine Solidarity Association, was one of the keynote speakers and he particularly noted the hypocrisy of Sweden sending JAS-planes against the Kaddafi regime to end forty-two years of oppression, but doing nothing to end Israel's illegal and bloody forty four-year occupation, oppression and violations of human rights and international law.

Gahrton emphasized the need to end special treatment for Israel and start holding those responsible for the illegal occupation and mass killings of Palestinian civilians accountable. It is time to stop playing ball with the occupation regime's representatives!