Swedish Christian Zionists To Sail To Israel On Solidarity Mission

Sweden Image by iStock

By JTA August 9, 2018

(JTA) — Following Swedish pro-Palestinian activists’ failed attempt to reach Gaza by sea, a Christian supporter of Israel from Sweden announced he would take dozens of pro-Zionists to Israel on his yacht.

Stefan Abrahamsson on Thursday announced on Facebook that his yacht, Elida, will set sail from Sweden on Aug. 25 to Israel to show solidarity with the Jewish state and Middle East Christians.

“We want to break the silence of the severe persecution and cleansing of the Christian population that is taking place in this region,” he wrote. “As the only democracy in the Middle East amid dictatorships, Israel welcomes us on this show of solidarity with human rights, freedom of expression, freedom of religion and fundamental democratic values. In turn, we are taking a stand for the values that Israel stands for.”

On Aug. 24, Abrahamsson wrote, he will organize a sendoff party at the Gothenburg marina from which his yacht, carrying about 40 activists, will set sail for Herzliya, Israel. Elida is expected to reach Israel in October and dock there for several weeks. The sendoff will feature a discussion on “precisely these important issues,” he wrote. Lars Adaktusson, a lawmaker from Sweden in the European Parliament, is scheduled to speak at the event.

Seven Swedish activists detained by Israel’s navy for attempting to breach its blockade of Gaza have been deported to Sweden, the organizers of the Ship to Gaza activist flotilla said Wednesday.

Alyssa Fisher is a news writer at the Forward. Email her at [email protected], or follow her on Twitter at @alyssalfisher

A message from our Publisher & CEO Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

The coming year promises to be filled with more complex and historic developments. We are entering an era where independent, fact-based Jewish journalism will be more important than ever. We need to be ready for whatever 2025 will bring, and with your help, we can be.

We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.

If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.

— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO