Hamas leader flees Palestine, arrives in Sweden w/asylum

[cliss]

http://www.dn.se/
Dagens Nyheter Swedish Newspaper
May 7, 2006
Translated by: Cliss

"HAMAS LEADER THANKS SWEDEN FOR ASYLUM"
Israeli Embassy lodges protest

The Prime minister Atef Adwan arrived in Malmö on Thursday and thanked the Swedish government for being able to move to Sweden. Sweden is the first European country which has allowed a member of the Hamas government to enter.

There have been many political protests in connection with giving Mr. Adwan a visa to Sweden since Hamas has been considered a terrorist organization by the EU and the USA.

The Israeli government has sent a protest with Foreign Minister Jan Eliasson. Also France has criticized Sweden for the visa. Atef Adwan, who participated in a Palestinian asylum conference, is now hoping to get more European contacts for the Palestinian government. "I didn't see any protests when I arrived", he said shortly after he arrived at 'Folkets Park' early in the day.

"I believe that this represents the wishes of the Swedish people. They respect human rights", he said at a press conference.
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There is a photo of Mr. Adwan, surrounded by Palestinian bodyguards. When you get to the main page of Dagens Nyheter, scroll down about 1/3; there is a large photo of him there.

[Kagemusha]

1. Asylum? Is he quitting the government or is this mistranslated?

I'm really confused by this article.

[Ghost Dog]

2. 'Entry Visa' more like?

I'm not finding any further information in English or French as yet, but there was this a few days ago from the Israeli Foreign Ministry:

http://www.israel-mfa.gov.il/MFA/About+the+Ministry/MFA+Spokesman/2006/Israel+protests+Swedens+air+exercise+snub+27-Apr-2006.htm

Israel protests Sweden's air exercise snub
27 Apr 2006
D-G Prosor stressed that Sweden's "declaring that Israel does not seek peace puts its credibility at risk."

(Communicated by the Foreign Ministry Spokesman's Office)

Foreign Ministry Director-General Ron Prosor today (Thursday, 27 April 2006) summoned Swedish Ambassador Robert Rydberg and expressed Israel's protest at Sweden's withdrawal from an international air force exercise to be held in Italy next month, under the pretext that Israel is not qualified to participate because it is not peace seeking.

D-G Prosor stressed that Sweden's "declaring that Israel does not seek peace puts its credibility at risk." He added that, given such a worrisome position, doubt arises as to Sweden's ability to play a significant role in the peace process in future.

Prosor also expressed Israel's deep concern over reports reaching Jerusalem that Sweden intends to grant entrance visas to a number of Hamas activists. He pointed out that such a step -- which would be the first of its kind by a European country -- is liable to be interpreted throughout the world as giving approval to terrorism and to terrorist organizations.

[cliss]

3. Sorry: it's fixed.

I missed the word 'member' of the Hamas government. My original translation made it look like it was the Hamas government itself that is operating in Sweden....although it might be.

[Moderator]

4. Locking

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