Climate activist Greta Thunberg and other leading figures in Fridays for Future Sweden have accused Israel of war crimes and genocide in a piece published on Tuesday in Sweden’s Aftonbladet and Britain’s Guardian newspapers.

“The horrific murders of Israeli civilians by Hamas cannot in any way legitimise Israel’s ongoing war crimes. Genocide is not self-defence, nor is it in any way a proportionate response,” they wrote.

Ms Thunberg and four other signatories emphasised that they were speaking only on behalf of Fridays for Future in Sweden, adding that the organisation had always spoken up “when people suffer, are forced to flee their homes, or are killed—regardless of the cause.”

They pointed to strikes held in solidarity with marginalised groups in Norway, Kurdistan, and Ukraine.

They also cited the prominent Israeli genocide expert Raz Segal, who has called Israeli military action in the Gaza Strip “a textbook case of genocide.”

The authors also condemned anti-Semitic and Islamophobic incidents in Sweden.

“Everyone speaking out on this crisis has a responsibility to distinguish between Hamas, Muslims, and Palestinians and between the state of Israel, Jewish people, and Israelis,” they added.

In October, Ms Thunberg drew criticism for sharing an Instagram post from a German-based pro-Palestinian group in which Israel is accused of genocide.

Lisa Neubauer, a prominent German climate activist, has distanced herself from others in the movement.

(dpa/NAN)