Action Group – Saeed Suleiman
Amid a sharp and unprecedented decline in the number of people granted Swedish citizenship during April, Palestinian refugees in Sweden, particularly those arriving from Syria in recent years, are experiencing a state of anxiety and anticipation. The Swedish government’s promises to exempt certain categories from the new restrictions appeared unrealistic.
Despite statements by the Minister of Immigration that the new security measures only target those suspected of posing a “security threat,” particularly those arriving from conflict-ridden countries, such as Palestinians from Syria, recent data revealed that all applicants, regardless of their nationality, were affected, creating a sense of discrimination and marginalization among Palestinian refugees.
*”No homeland, no nationality.”*
This group, often treated as stateless, faces multiple complications in the naturalization process. Between the lack of complete identification documents due to the circumstances of displacement from Syria and the ongoing questioning of identity and belonging, Syrian Palestinians in Sweden face difficulties that are invisible to the Swedish public, but which have a profound impact on their future and their social and economic stability.
Abu al-Abed, a Palestinian refugee from Khan al-Shih camp who has lived in Helsingborg for five years, says: “I applied for citizenship a year and a half ago, and I haven’t received any response.
However, I received an email asking me for more information to prove my identity, even though my identity has been verified since the first day I arrived in Sweden. With these new laws, I don’t know if I will ever get it, even though I have had a steady job for more than two years.
*New procedures”¦ old anxiety.*
The security measures introduced in April, which require personal presence to verify identity, have raised suspicion among refugees, especially since they have not yet been implemented due to the waiting for a legal signature. However, naturalization decisions have effectively stopped for more than a month, raising the rejection rate to 60% and reopening wounds of long waits and unequal treatment.
Majed, a young Palestinian man married with three children and owning his own business, expresses his frustration: “Sweden has become my home. I have worked there and built my life, but citizenship is still a deferred dream”¦ We have become victims of policies that do not even recognize us as a stable group.P
*Fears of “political agendas”*
Observers believe that behind these measures is a “deliberate political tightening,” aimed at delaying citizenship decisions until stricter legislation is adopted in 2026. In this context, Palestinian refugees feel they are the weakest link in a security equation that fails to take into account the fragility of their legal status and does not provide them with clear paths to integration and full citizenship.
In light of these developments, Palestinian refugees are calling on human rights organizations in Sweden to work seriously to ensure that the authorities take a clear position on their situation and provide fair and transparent procedures that take into account the conditions of stateless persons, rather than freezing their future for vague security reasons or undisclosed political motives.