Palestinian-Born Swedish Minister Stirs Debate with Star of David Necklace
Priyanka Shankar
Sweden's Integration Minister Simona Mohamsson wore a Star of David necklace during a televised debate to highlight rising antisemitism, earning praise from the Jewish community but criticism from commentators. The move comes amid increased antisemitic incidents across Europe since the Gaza conflict began.
Simona Mohamsson, Sweden's Minister for Education and Integration, appeared with a Star of David necklace during a televised political debate on Monday, amid rising antisemitic incidents across Europe since Israel launched its military campaign in Gaza.
Mohamsson, whose father is a Palestinian from Haifa, Israel, and whose mother is Lebanese, said she wore the symbol of the Jewish faith and the state of Israel during the election debate “for the children who do not dare to do so in Sweden today.” She also criticized politicians from the Left Party for spreading antisemitism.
Controversial act
While Sweden's Jewish community viewed Mohamsson's gesture as “strong,” the Star of David necklace drew fierce backlash from the country's commentators.
Valley Ghanem, an official adviser to the city of Malmö on combating anti-Muslim racism and discrimination, wrote on Instagram: “I don't think I could feel more disgusted with this type of person: weak in body, evil in will, pathetic in betrayal; a self-hating creature who has turned their hatred into hatred of their own people.”
Ghanem also posted “May she burn” on social media before backtracking, explaining it was an emotional reaction to images of Gaza children burned alive. She stated, “Of course I don't mean anyone should be burned in a literal sense, but it's important that we don't divert from the real issue: a genocide taking place for which Israel is responsible.”
About the Palestinian-born minister
Mohamsson was born in 1994 in Germany; her family moved to Sweden when she was eight and changed the family name from Mohammad to Mohamsson. She is an atheist and does not follow Islam. She entered politics early, joining the Liberal Party (centre-right, liberal-conservative) in 2021, serving as vice-chair of the party's youth organization, representing Sweden in the European Parliament in 2024, and being appointed party leader in 2025.
She is the author of the book “Hongkong” (2021) about Hong Kong's democratic and human rights struggles. She supports the European Union and advocates for Sweden to provide military aid to Ukraine in its war with Russia.
Why she wore the Star of David
“I wear the Star of David for the children who do not dare to do so in Sweden today,” Mohamsson said. In an interview with Aftonbladet, she emphasized: “I think it's especially important if you have a background like mine, with parents from the Middle East. For me, Sweden should be a safe haven for Jews. We also need to show distance from those forces that seek to spread fear and exploit the conflict to spread antisemitism.”
She also accused members of the Left Party of enabling antisemitism to grow by sending “love letters to Hamas,” referring to politician Ilona Szatmari Waldau, who sent a letter to a senior Hamas leader in custody. Waldau later apologized, saying the letter was meant to show solidarity with Palestinian prisoners, not with instigators of violence.
Sensitive political issue
The Star of David is a symbol of both the Jewish faith and the state of Israel. Critics argue that using this symbol conflates criticism of Israel with antisemitism. According to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, antisemitism is “a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews.”
Mohamsson has largely avoided commenting on Israel's war in Gaza beyond calling for humanitarian solutions and the release of hostages held since September 2023. When asked about moving Sweden's embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, she said: “Our role should be to focus on easing humanitarian suffering and bringing hostages home. It would be bad if Sweden, instead of cooperating with other European countries to have a practical proposal, focused on other issues.”
On antisemitism, she has warned: “Antisemitism is spreading even within schools. Teachers report difficulty in speaking plainly about the Holocaust and contemporary antisemitism; these topics are sometimes relativized or met with silence. This is a development we can never accept.”
Some other Swedish politicians of Palestinian origin, like Jamal El-Haj (Social Democratic Party), accuse her party of “being silent about the events in Gaza.” El-Haj wrote: “Your father and I lived in the Nahr al-Bared refugee camp.”
Rising antisemitism in Europe
According to the European Commission, antisemitic attacks have become more frequent since Israel began its military campaign in Gaza in October 2023. In 2024, Sweden recorded more than 200 antisemitic violent incidents, up significantly from 111 in 2022.
A 2024 survey by the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) of nearly 8,000 Jews in 13 countries (Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Spain, and Sweden) found that nearly all respondents had experienced antisemitism in the previous year, with incidents surging since October 7, 2023. The majority said they were genuinely concerned for their own and their families' safety.
