Top Israeli, Swedish diplomat chat in effort to mend ties

JERUSALEM (AP) — The foreign ministers of Israel and Sweden held their first phone call in seven years, a move hailed as the “relaunching of relations” after protracted tensions between the two countries. Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid wrote on Twitter on Monday that he spoke with his Swedish counterpart, Ann Linde, and thanked her for “Sweden’s strong and solid commitment to the security of Israel and her recognition in the course of our conversation of Israel as the homeland of the Jewish people.” Israel’s new government has made strides to repair relations with neighboring Jordan and Egypt and the Palestinians, as well as with the Biden administration, since taking office in June.