Swedish Education Minister Faces Backlash for Wearing Star of David Necklace
Simona Mohamsson, Sweden's Minister of Education and Integration and leader of the Liberal Party, sparked controversy by wearing a Star of David necklace during a televised election debate days before the general elections. Born in Hamburg in 1994 to a Palestinian father from Haifa and a Lebanese mother, Mohamsson moved to Sweden at age eight and changed her family name from Muhammad to Mohamsson. She identifies as an atheist despite her Muslim family background and has become a prominent young figure in Swedish politics. In June 2025, she was appointed head of the Liberal Party and took on ministerial roles in education and integration under Prime Minister Olaf Kristersson.
Mohamsson explained that wearing the Star of David was a message of solidarity with Jewish children in Sweden who feel unable to display the symbol openly due to rising antisemitism. She emphasized the importance of Sweden being a safe place for Jews and condemned the use of Middle East conflicts as excuses for antisemitic intimidation. Her gesture received both praise for courage and severe backlash, including personal attacks and threats on social media.
One notable critic was Wali Ghanem, a political commentator and former adviser on Islamophobia and anti-Muslim racism in Malmo, who called Mohamsson a "self-hating creature" and said "she should burn." Ghanem later retracted the comment, clarifying it was made in emotional response to Israeli policies and the deaths of children in Gaza.
This incident highlights ongoing debates in Sweden about antisemitism, which Mohamsson has previously said infiltrates the education system, with teachers struggling to address the Holocaust and current antisemitism openly. She has also criticized left-wing politicians for insufficient action against antisemitism, accusing them of supporting Palestinian prisoners and Hamas.
The controversy occurs amid rising antisemitic violence in Sweden, with over 200 reported incidents in 2024 compared to 111 in 2022, reflecting growing security concerns within the Jewish community.
