In an unprecedented move, 79 employees of Finland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs have collectively expressed concern about Finland’s response to the ongoing conflict in Gaza in a letter to the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Elina Valtonen. This stance, which is unusual in Finnish diplomatic circles, highlights growing anxiety within the ministry about Finland’s Middle East policy.
The letter, released into the public domain following a report by Finnish public broadcaster Ale, urges Finland to seek a ceasefire in Gaza.
Diplomats have criticized Israel’s excessive use of force and possible violations of international law. This criticism is rooted in recent events in which civilian infrastructure, including hospitals and schools, was targeted in the Gaza Strip, raising serious humanitarian and legal concerns.
Foreign Minister Valtonen, a member of the National Coalition Party (NCP), responded to the letter and confirmed the importance of discussing Finland’s foreign policy. He stressed that Finland’s position in the Middle East is built on the pillars of human rights, democracy, rule of law and equality. Valtonen also highlighted Finland’s support for the International Criminal Court (ICC) and continued efforts to collect evidence of potential war crimes in the region.
In a statement expressing Finland’s impartial position, Valtonen declared Finland’s readiness to condemn perpetrators of crimes in the conflict, regardless of their identity. He also reiterated Finland’s consistent disapproval of Israeli activities in illegal settlements in the West Bank.
The appearance of this letter coincides with changes in Finland’s voting patterns at the United Nations. In October, Finland abstained from voting on a UN resolution calling for a humanitarian ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. Hamas is considered a terrorist organization by the European Union and the United States because its attacks have not been condemned, but it is considered a freedom fighter by Islamic countries. Rest of the World. However, in December, less than a month after receiving the letter, Finland voted in favor of a UN General Assembly resolution calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza.
The letter provoked mixed reactions. Some veteran diplomats see this as a brave and necessary step, but others think it is inappropriate.The controversy has spread to the political arena, with Finnish Party parliamentarians also Jani Makela He criticized the diplomats for overstepping their authority, and suggested that those involved should consider resigning.
The situation highlights the generational rift within the ministry, with most of the signatories being junior staff. It also reflects a broader debate about the role of civil servants in shaping foreign policy, especially in complex and sensitive issues such as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The Finnish government, particularly political parties such as the National Union, the Finnish People’s Party, and the Christian Democratic Party, have historically shown support for Israeli policies. This position sometimes clashed with calls for a more balanced approach to Israel and Palestine, as expressed by the diplomats in the letter.
The development comes as the conflict in Gaza continues to escalate, with civilian casualties already exceeding 20,000, half of them children, and widespread destruction.
Men inspect the damage to the home of the Nofal family, a Palestinian family killed by Israeli shelling, in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on January 10, 2024. (Photo provided by AFP)
Below, the Helsinki Times has published a full translation of the Finnish letter sent to Valtonen.
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“Dear Minister of Foreign Affairs Elina Valtonen,
Thank you for the article published in Helsingin Sanomat on Saturday, November 18th. We believe the article’s message about the need to protect civilians is important. At the same time, we believe that Finland should act more concretely towards this goal by condemning Israel’s violations of international law and calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. We share here letters from 79 foreign government officials regarding this matter. This letter is intended for internal exchange of opinions. I hope to continue the discussion at the staff information session tomorrow.
Finland should condemn Israel’s violations of international law and demand a ceasefire in Gaza.
The brutal attack by the terrorist organization Hamas in Israel on October 7th shocked the entire world. Like all countries, Israel has the right to protect its civilians. Hostages held by Hamas must be released.
Military operations must comply with international humanitarian law under all circumstances, regardless of the origin of the conflict. War crimes do not justify war crimes. As of November 10, Israel’s bombing of Gaza had killed an estimated 11,078 people, including 4,506 children and 3,027 women. More children have already died than the average number of people killed in conflicts around the world each year. More UN personnel were killed during this period than in any previous conflict. The United Nations has repeatedly said there is no safe place for civilians in the Gaza Strip, not even in the south, where Israel is encouraging Palestinians to relocate.
Israel clearly exceeded the limits of proportionality in its countermeasures in Gaza, targeting civilian infrastructure and buildings under special protection, such as hospitals and schools. These are likely violations of international law and even war crimes. Israel has a special responsibility to protect civilians in occupied territories.
Finland cannot forget its long-standing demand to respect a rules-based system. To do so would be directly against our own interests.
The government’s plan states that Finland will promote a rules-based world order. One of the focuses of Finland’s foreign and security policy is to engage the Global South in promoting rules-based order, democracy and human rights.
In addition to terrorist attacks by Hamas and blatant violations of international law, such as hostage-taking and the use of human shields, Finland must also condemn Israel’s violations of international law and call for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
So far, Finland has not condemned Israel’s disproportionate use of force in Gaza. Finland abstained from voting on the October 27 UN resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, even though many other EU countries and Norway voted in favor. The humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza must end and those responsible for the conflict must be held accountable.
By consistently demanding respect for international law and condemning its obvious violations, Finland can maintain its reputation as a defender of human rights, the UN Charter and international law. More importantly, only in this way can Finland participate in maintaining the international rules-based system. It is also the basis of our own safety. ”
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The Finnish diplomat’s letter not only calls for policy review, but also serves as a reminder of the moral and legal responsibilities that states have in the international arena. As the situation evolves, not only Finland’s position on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but also its commitment to human rights and international law will be emphasized, and Finland’s response will attract attention from the international community.
HT