A pupil stands at the entrance of a school run by UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine (UNRWA) in the West Bank in August 2018. Finland’s muted response to Israel’s decision to ban the aid agency from operating on what it regards as its sovereign territory has been met with dismay by experts and opposition lawmakers. (Jaafar Ashtiyeh – AFP / Lehtikuva)
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THE MUTED RESPONSE of Finland to Israel’s decision to prohibit the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine (UNRWA) from operating on its “sovereign territory” has been met with dismay.
Timo R. Stewart, a senior researcher at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs, stated to Helsingin Sanomat on Thursday that even the US, a staunch ally of Israel, has been more direct in expressing its concern about the decision.
The Knesset last Monday passed a bill that prohibits the humanitarian agency from operating in the “sovereign territory” of Israel, a phrase that incorporates the West Bank and East Jerusalem, the annexation of which was approved by the Knesset in 1980.
Finnish Minister for International Trade and Development Ville Tavio (PS) responded to the decision on X on Tuesday, saying Finland would “monitor the implementation” of the decision. “The objective must be to deliver human aid in a way that is comprehensive and involves no wrongdoing,” he added.
Stewart described the statement as “the most wishy-washy statement” he has seen about the issue, viewing that it suggests the country is more interested in the misuse of humanitarian aid than the availability of aid.
The UNRWA has long come under criticism from Israel.
The UN in August communicated that some staff members of the aid agency may have had a role in the terror attack carried out by Hamas against Israel on 7 October 2023. A spokesperson revealed that the nine staff members who were identified in an internal inquest as having possibly been involved in the attack have all been dismissed.
Tavio’s statement can also be seen as a deviation from earlier expressions of concern and condemnation from Finland, Stewart said to Helsingin Sanomat.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Elina Valkonen (NCP) had voiced her profound concern about the proposed ban in a statement issued together with her counterparts from the Nordics. She added to Ilta-Sanomat that the prohibition would create “frankly hellish” conditions in what is already a “catastrophic” situation.
President Alexander Stubb indicated his disapproval with the decision during a state visit to China on Tuesday.
“This is a national law, and it can’t walk over international law. I don’t think that this piece of legislation adopted by Israel is appropriate,” he was quoted saying to reporters in Beijing by Helsingin Sanomat. “It seems to be fairly consistent with Israel’s ongoing basic criticism of the UN, and here’s where I strongly disagree with Israel.”
Also opposition lawmakers have called for stronger language from the government.
“Does the Finnish government really not plan on condemning or even expressing its alarm over Israel’s decision to ban the UNRWA?” Antti Lindtman, the chairperson of the Social Democrats, asked on X on Tuesday.
“The Finnish government’s silence is outright ear-splitting.”
Minja Koskela, the chairperson of the Left Alliance, said Tavio’s statement failed to “reach the bar” in an unprecedented way.
“Finland can’t stand by in silence as Israel sneers at the entire UN system and international law. Banning the operations of a UN aid organisation is a life-threatening decision for the Gaza population, who are living in the middle of a humanitarian catastrophe,” she wrote.
Aleksi Teivainen – HT
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Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
