The Hamas “refugee minister” has graciously thanked Sweden for allowing him to visit, in spite of the fact that he represents a genocidal terrorist gang.

The Palestinian Authority’s refugee minister Atef Adwan has thanked the Swedish government for allowing him to visit the country, after arriving in Malmö to address a gathering of Palestinian exiles.

Sweden is the first European country to be visited by a representative of the Hamas-led Palestinian administration. The decision to grant him a visa to visit Sweden has led to protests by opponents who point out that Hamas is classed as a terrorist organization by the UN and the EU.

Adwan said he hoped that the Palestinian Authority under Hamas will now establish further contacts in Europe.

“I saw no protests as I was coming here,” he said after arriving at Folkets Park ahead of the conference on Saturday morning.

“I believe that this corresponds to the wishes of the Swedish people. They respect human rights,” he said at a press conference. …

Adwan described Israel as an enemy that wants everything without giving anything. Asked whether the two sides can accept each other, he replied:

“There is maybe room for a Jewish state, but then there should also be a state for us.”

This is a very dark moment for Sweden.

UPDATE at 5/7/06 8:36:02 am:

Meanwhile, back home in Gaza, Hamas is threatening to decapitate anyone who opposes them.

Hamas’s new security force is expected to start operating in the Gaza Strip next week, sources in the Palestinian Authority Interior Ministry said on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Hamas leaders warned over the weekend of a new intifada and said they would “chop off” the head of anyone who works to bring down their cabinet. The warnings were made during huge demonstrations in the West Bank and Gaza Strip in support of the Hamas cabinet and in protest against the US-led sanctions on the Hamas cabinet.