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Israel reprimands Swedish envoy over call for inquiry into killings of Palestinians

Xinhua, January 14, 2016 Adjust font size:

Israel reprimanded the Swedish ambassador Wednesday over the call to probe into killings of Palestinians amid an ongoing surge of violence.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry summoned the Swedish ambassador, Carl Magnus Nesser, in Jerusalem on Wednesday evening.

Israel wished to express the "fury of the Israeli government and the people of Israel over the distorted view of reality," which it called was "biased and hostile attitude toward Israel," according to a statement.

The rebuke followed a comment by the Swedish Foreign Minister, Margot Wallstrom, who said on Tuesday that there is a dire need for a "thorough, credible investigation into the (Palestinian) deaths in order to clarify and bring about possible accountability."

Israel was enraged over Wallstrom's statement.

"Given the Swedish minister's harmful and untenable positions, Sweden has excluded itself, in the foreseeable future, from any role with regard to Israeli-Palestinian relations," the Israeli Foreign Ministry said.

At least 150 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces or armed civilians since the violent uprising began in mid-September, 2015. In the same period, 23 Israelis and a U.S. citizen have been killed in knife, car-ramming, and shooting attacks by Palestinians.

Israel has been accusing the Palestinian National Authority of "inciting" the violence, while the Palestinians say it is the result of 49 years of Israeli control of their lands. Endit