Parliament Demands Inquiry into Swedish Aid Linked to Hamas-Connected Palestinian Group

Swedish International Development Minister Benjamin Dousa has confirmed that 55 million kronor in aid provided through Sida, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, was allocated to the Palestinian organization ICHR from 2011 to 2025. ICHR is reported to have associations with Hamas and Islamic Jihad, groups designated as terrorist organizations. This revelation has sparked significant political controversy in Sweden.

In response, the Swedish political party Sverigedemokraterna (SD) has urgently called for full transparency and accountability over the aid disbursement process. Mattias Karlsson, SD’s interim chairman of the foreign affairs committee, labeled the incident as a "national scandal" and criticized Sida either for a lack of control or for ignoring known risks—both of which he deemed unacceptable. Karlsson demanded that Sida's director-general, Jakob Granit, appear before the parliamentary foreign affairs committee to explain the oversight failures. Granit acknowledged the seriousness of the allegations regarding Hamas links and confirmed that Sida is working together with other countries that have funded ICHR to investigate these concerns.

Beyond demanding explanations, Karlsson pressed for an independent review of the entire Swedish aid system, highlighting what he sees as systemic failures allowing funds to be distributed without adequate safeguards or repercussions. Amid these developments, ICHR has denied the accusations, calling the claims "absurd."

This incident underscores challenges faced in managing international aid funding and the need for stringent oversight, especially when funds are potentially linked to groups under international scrutiny. The parliamentary inquiries and calls for systemic review signal a push for greater transparency and governance in Sweden's foreign aid.

As of November 2, 2025, proceedings are ongoing, with Sida’s leadership expected to provide detailed explanations to parliament in the forthcoming sessions.