Eighty Swedes expected to leave Gaza on Monday

Eighty people who ordinarily live in Sweden will hopefully be able to leave Gaza on Monday, according to the Swedish foreign ministry.

“The Foreign Ministry has received confirmed information that an initial group of 80 Swedes have now been given permission to leave Gaza on Monday. The Foreign Ministry is contacting these people via text messages, email and phone to ensure they are reached by this information,” a spokesperson told Swedish news agency TT in an email.

The foreign ministry urged Swedes not to travel to the border crossing at Rafah until it has been confirmed they have been given permission to cross the border into Egypt.

Around 500 people with Swedish citizenship or residency have, since Hamas’ terror attack on Israel sparked a brutal war between the two a month ago, contacted the foreign ministry to ask for help to evacuate Gaza.

Swedish vocabulary: a border crossing – en gränsövergång

Thousands march in pro-Palestinian rallies in Sweden

Thousands of people took part in demonstrations in several Swedish cities on Sunday to show their support for Palestinians and urge the Swedish government to take a more active stance in trying to create a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

“We do not agree that it’s a war of defence,” Sara Sjölander, one of the protesters, told the TT newswire. “Sweden has previously had very progressive policies for the Palestinian people and the fact that we are now silent I think is upsetting and cowardly. Spineless.”

Around 2,000 people took part in the demonstrations in both Stockholm and Malmö, according to police estimates. Demonstrations were also held in Gothenburg and Helsingborg, reports TT.

The controversial phrase “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” was seen at street art at one of the demonstrations, reports TT. Its critics argue it’s anti-Semitic and calls for the elimination of Israel; its supporters say it’s a general call for freedom and peace, not violence.

Swedish vocabulary: a war – ett krig

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Malmö residents in show of support for city’s Jewish community

Malmö residents gathered outside the city’s synagogue on Saturday afternoon to show their support for the Jewish community in Malmö, after an Israeli flag was burned outside the building last weekend.

People formed a human chain around the building and pinned paper hearts to the gate.

Showan Shattak, a member of the Left Party and one of the organisers, told public broadcaster SVT that around 150 people turned up to the event. He said it attracted a diverse crowd of Jewish and Muslim people, as well as liberals, conservatives and socialists.

“A lot of us don’t want these wounds and conflicts in our city. We want to heal these wounds,” he told SVT.

Swedish vocabulary: to heal – att läka

People gathered outside the Malmö synagogue on Saturday. Photo: Johan Nilsson/TT

SFI funding not enough, warns Swedish local authorities

The government earmarked 100 million kronor in the budget to provide Swedish classes for Ukrainian refugees, but it doesn’t come close to being enough, according to SKR, the umbrella organisation for Swedish local and regional authorities. Sweden’s municipalities, which are responsible for running Swedish for Immigrants classes (SFI), have in total applied for 145.7 million kronor out of the pot.

There’s currently even less money available in next year’s budget, which allocates 80 million kronor to SFI for Ukrainians.

“It is concerning that state financing decreases next year, when unfortunately there’s nothing that indicates the war is about to end. The municipalities needs are in the order of 300 million kronor,” SKR labour market head Roy Melchert said in a statement.

Swedish vocabulary: Swedish for Immigrants – svenska för invandrare

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How much more expensive is a ski holiday in Sweden this year?

Several Swedish ski resorts have been able to open earlier than normal thanks to a cold spell. But the price of a lift ticket has gone up in nearly all places, according to a comparison by business newspaper Dagens industri. 

Kläppen, just south of Dalarna, and Orsa Grönklitt in Dalarna are among the ones that have hiked their prices the most: 9 percent and 10 percent, respectively. That means a weekly peak-season lift ticket costs 2,453 kronor for adults at Kläppen, reports Dagens industri.

Vemdalen in Härjedalen however bucks the trend, with a price decrease of 1.7 percent due to supply and demand. 

But people aren’t willing to stop hitting the slopes over the higher costs: Skistar, the company that runs the majority of Sweden’s biggest ski resorts, reports that bookings are already up 7 percent compared to the same period last year, which is close to a new record.

Swedish vocabulary: a lift ticket – ett liftpass