Gaza Meddling in Swedish Politics

Hat tip Katerina Magasin

The below article by Tobias Petersson in Katerina Magasin, a Swedish site, describes how Palestinian activists in Gaza are meddling in Swedish politics on behalf of those Swedish politicians who support their cause, namely Social Security Minister Annika Strandhäll and Foreign Minister Margot Wallström.

Translation by Fousesquawk.

http://katerinamagasin.se/utlandsk-paverkanskampanj-strandhall-drivs-av-antisemitisk-aktivistgrupp/

Foreign Influence Campaign for 

Strandhäll Driven by Anti-Semitic Activist Group

Now Gaza is involving itself in (the fact that) Swedish opposition party has submitted a declaration of mistrust against Social Security Minister Annik Strandhäll.  It is the activist group Ihbid Electronic Army which supports Strandhäll. Ihbid Electronic Army is a Palestinian propaganda network in Gaza which has launched a campaign for the Social Democrats on Facebook and Twitter. This is revealed by Tobias Petersson, an opinion maker against violent extremism and anti-Semitism.

That is what the activist group has written in Arabic on its Facebook page with 35,000 followers. "Social (Security) Minister Annika Strandhäll is being subjected to attempts to remove her by the right alliance and pro-Zionist parties. She is known for her positions in support of the Palestinian cause. She and her party had the courage to make the decision to recognize the Palestinian state, which made Sweden the first European country to do so." 





The activist group has spammed a Facebook post from Parliament member Anders Österberg (S) in support of Annika Strandhäll. On their Facebook page, Ihbid Electronic Army urges its activists to write positive comments in the comment field on Österberg's post for Strandhäll. "What a wonderful person and wonderful minister!" And "You should fight back and be strong!" people are asked to write to Strandhäll. Österberg's contributions have received thousands of comments, mostly from the activists of the Palestinian activist group. Currently, Österberg's Facebook page has been removed or inactivated.

The activists in Gaza have also released a video in Arabic with English text where they accuse Israel of acting like the Nazis in Nazi Germany. To compare Israel's current policy with the Nazis is anti-Semitic according to the IHRA's working definition of anti-Semitism.

This weekend, the "Ihbid Electric Army" also tried to influence the EU election by urging its Palestinian activists to spam Foreign Minister Margot Wallström's Facebook page with positive messages. Unfortunately, I do not think it is entirely without Social Democratic involvement as this happens.

The spamming from Gaza cannot be described as anything other than a foreign influence campaign, which was perhaps meant to help the Social Democrats, but which in fact contributes in damaging the image of the party. If the Social Democrats need help from Gaza to run their campaigns, it must mean that the Swedish voters are deserting the party. Of course, this will drag down confidence in the Social Democrats.

-Tobias Petersson

Tobias Petersson is an opinion maker against violent extremism and anti-Semitism.
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If the Swedes are interested in getting to the bottom of this, Robert Mueller is now available.