{"id":118708,"date":"2025-01-25T17:05:29","date_gmt":"2025-01-25T15:05:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/?p=118708"},"modified":"2025-01-25T16:50:27","modified_gmt":"2025-01-25T14:50:27","slug":"27-05-105","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/?p=118708","title":{"rendered":"How Swedish MEP Alice Teodorescu Mawe became Israel\u2019s most outspoken European ally"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>How Swedish MEP Alice Teodorescu Mawe became Israel\u2019s most outspoken European ally<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/h5>\n

Batya Levinthal<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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At home and in the European Parliament, the staunch advocate for Jews and Israel is leading the fight against overt antisemitism, as well as Jew-hatred masquerading as anti-Zionism<\/strong><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n

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\nSwedish Christian MEP Alice Teodorescu M\u00e5we. (Courtesy of EPP Group)<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

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Less than a day after three female hostages were released as part of Israel\u2019s ceasefire and hostage deal with the Hamas terror group, Swedish politician Alice Teodorescu Mawe fired off a searing invective during a speech to the European Parliament that targeted the Red Cross and Hamas and its supporters \u2014 and she did it while wearing a yellow pin in support of the hostages.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe masks have fallen from the so-called freedom fighters, who, together with many of those taken for innocent civilians, surrounded like hyenas the three young women who were taken from Hamas\u2019s violence yesterday,\u201d she said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Calling out \u201cthe West\u2019s spineless politicians, activist journalists and corrupt judicial institutions,\u201d Teodorescu Mawe called for tougher measures against Hamas \u201cnow that the masked monsters have been unmasked, stomping on a Red Cross ambulance \u2014 and thus on our Western values.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Her outspoken comments might be considered remarkable coming from another source \u2014 especially in a political climate in Europe that has not been particularly friendly to Israel during the last 15 months of its multi-front war \u2014 but for Teodorescu Mawe, it was just another Monday.<\/span><\/p>\n

In recent months, the politician has captured attention and ignited public debate with her unapologetic candor. From defending Israel\u2019s right to self-defense after the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led massacre to advocating for expelling antisemites from Sweden and proposing that Swedish citizenship should be contingent on recognizing Israel\u2019s legitimacy, her advocacy has been as resolute as it is viral.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cEvery time a Jewish person thanks me for my position, I get sad because my reaction should be the norm,\u201d she told The Times of Israel in a recent interview.<\/span><\/p>\n

Teodorescu Mawe\u2019s support for Israel and Jewish causes has grown amid rising Middle Eastern immigration and escalating antisemitism in Sweden and Europe. Her July 2024 appointment as Sweden\u2019s sole center-right Christian Democrat MEP has further amplified her voice on the international stage.<\/span><\/p>\n

Born of strong convictions<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Teodorescu Mawe was born in Bucharest, Romania, in 1984, and her family moved to the southern Swedish city of Lund, where she was raised, in 1989. Her parents, who fled their homeland to escape the constraints of dictatorship, poverty, and repression, significantly shaped her worldview.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThey often spoke about values, principles, and what makes a good society,\u201d Teodorescu Mawe said, crediting her parents for instilling in her a deep understanding of freedom, democracy and human rights from a young age.<\/span><\/p>\n

Her mother admired the Jewish people and their resilience in the face of adversity, which sparked Teodorescu Mawe\u2019s own interest in Holocaust history.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFor a couple of years, that was the only thing I read,\u201d she said, adding that she was particularly moved by the danger of \u201csilent complicity.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

This literary deep dive not only shaped her lifelong commitment to speaking out against injustice but also set off a defining intellectual journey toward diplomacy.<\/span><\/p>\n

On her road to politics, Teodorescu Mawe earned a law degree from Lund University in 2008. She then began her career in Brussels, Belgium, as a trainee for Svenskt Naringsliv, an organization advocating for pro-business interests with a focus on EU labor law issues.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Alice Teodorescu M\u00e5we condemns the November antisemitic riots in Amsterdam that targeted Jews and Israeli fans of Maccabi Tel Aviv, at a European Parliament Plenary session in Brussels, Belgium. (European Parliament<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Concurrently with other jobs, she spent most of her working years as an editorial writer for various local news outlets, including the liberal-conservative Svenska Dagbladet, the conservative tabloids Barometern and Gotlands Allehanda, and the liberal-leaning G\u00f6teborgs-Posten, where she was the political editor from 2015 to 2019. From 2019 to 2020, she was a member of the Swedish Moderate Party, and later joined the Christian Democrats in 2024.<\/span><\/p>\n

In her work, Teodorescu Mawe often tackled themes of migration and integration, voicing concern about the lack of Muslim assimilation in Sweden, where the demographic constitutes roughly 8% of the population. \u201cAntisemitic attitudes didn\u2019t start on October 7,\u201d she said.<\/span><\/p>\n

While physically in Sweden, many immigrants remain \u201cmentally in the Middle East, bringing these perspectives with them and creating a clash of societies,\u201d she said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Confronting rising antisemitism in Europe<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Despite the recent timing of her Swedish MEP appointment, Teodorescu Mawe said she felt an \u201cobligation\u201d to view the harrowing footage of the October 7 atrocities, which saw thousands of Hamas-led terrorists brutally murder some 1,200 people and kidnap 251 more to the Gaza Strip during a full-scale invasion of southern Israel by air, land and sea. The slaughter was chillingly characterized by widespread acts of torture, mutilation and rape.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe worst part was the joy of the Hamas fighters, their complete lack of empathy,\u201d Teodorescu Mawe said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Antisemitic attacks have surged in many countries since October 7, with reports of a 400% increase in harassment of European Jews, according to an EU Agency for Fundamental Rights survey<\/a> from 2024. Teodorescu Mawe found the \u201cshameful\u201d celebrations after October 7 in the streets of Sweden equally troubling. She believes these events serve as a reminder that society has \u201clearned nothing from the Holocaust\u201d and that significant change is needed. <\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>A protester stands on an Israeli flag during an anti-Israel demonstration ahead of the second semi-final at the Eurovision Song Contest in Malmo, Sweden, May 9, 2024. (AP Photo\/Martin Meissner)<\/em><\/span><\/div>\n

Teodorescu Mawe said she is fighting against the \u201cerosion of European and Western values\u201d as Jews again become scapegoats. In this, she highlights the shifting stigmas around antisemitism where \u201cthe Muslim is now the victim, and the Jew is white. And if you\u2019re white, you can\u2019t possibly be a victim.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Additionally, she has sharply criticized fellow journalists and politicians for their \u201cdouble standard,\u201d disproportionately focusing on Israel while ignoring Palestinian responsibility.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPainting Palestinians solely as victims diminishes their role as equal partners in a solution,\u201d she argued, adding that it also perpetuates antisemitism and fuels calls to \u201cglobalize the intifada.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The courage of convictions<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Teodorescu Mawe\u2019s defiant stance on Israel, antisemitism, and rising Muslim immigration and integration has drawn fierce criticism, primarily from those on the left.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been called slurs like a Jewish whore, a spy, an enabler of genocide, and a defender of child killers,\u201d she said, recounting the vitriol directed her way.<\/span><\/p>\n

Despite the attacks, she remains resolute. \u201cI\u2019m not here to be popular,\u201d said Teodorescu Mawe. \u201cWhen you\u2019re too dependent on your career or image, fear drives your decisions. I refuse to let that happen.\u201d Hoping to set an example, she added, \u201cIf I don\u2019t stand up for European Jews and Israel now, then when and what would I stand up for?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Alice Teodorescu M\u00e5we hosts an event at the European Parliament to commemorate one year since the October 7 atrocities, in Brussels, Belgium, October 7, 2024. (EPP Group)<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

She has also issued several controversial policy proposals, such as tying Swedish citizenship to recognizing Israel\u2019s legitimacy and deporting individuals involved in antisemitism. These proposals, introduced shortly after the one-year commemoration of the October 7 attacks, have since triggered a backlash. However, she views them as necessary steps to address Europe\u2019s failure to integrate Muslim communities, which she holds has allowed \u201cintolerant\u201d attitudes to flourish.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnti-Zionism is antisemitism,\u201d she said. \u201cCriticism of Israel has replaced direct attacks on Jews, but the intent remains the same.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Looking forward<\/strong><\/h4>\n

While she acknowledges the difficulties in Sweden, Teodorescu Mawe believes more must be done under the leadership of the Moderates \u2014 the currently governing Swedish party \u2014 to combat antisemitism. She emphasizes that raising public awareness is a crucial first step, an initiative she actively champions through her political platform and public advocacy.<\/span><\/p>\n

Teodorescu Mawe points out that \u201cmany Swedes agree with [her] but are too terrified to speak out, having seen the consequences of those who raise their voices.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Nevertheless, she urges them to resist fear and confront intolerance head-on.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe need to back Israel, which is at the front line of this war. Their hate isn\u2019t limited to Jews \u2014 they hate the West and will turn against us when it suits them,\u201d she said.<\/span><\/p>\n

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How Swedish MEP Alice Teodorescu Mawe became Israel\u2019s most outspoken European ally Batya Levinthal At home and in the European Parliament, the staunch advocate for Jews and Israel is leading the fight against overt antisemitism, as well as Jew-hatred masquerading as anti-Zionism . Swedish Christian MEP Alice Teodorescu M\u00e5we. (Courtesy of EPP Group) Less than […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[6],"tags":[26,24],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/118708"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=118708"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/118708\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":118800,"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/118708\/revisions\/118800"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=118708"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=118708"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=118708"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}