In the Middle East, 24 hours is a long time, says Finland’s ambassador to Israel Nina Nordström.
Israel and Hamas have been negotiating for the past two weeks on a ceasefire and the release of hostages. There have been more hopeful messages than before from the negotiations, but the agreement is on a knife’s edge.
Nordström has followed events in Israel as an ambassador for about a year, starting in September 2023. So he only had time to be in his position for five weeks before Hamas launched its historic attack on October 7.
– Now I follow a country that is in conflict on several fronts, says Nordström.
Nordström took up his position in a situation where Israel had been agitated for months by the unpopular justice system reform and anti-government demonstrations. At that time, Israelis were worried about the future of their country’s democracy.
However, the ambassador says that the rule of law issue may return to the political agenda again.
– During the state of war, the Israelis blow more coal than before. However, there are still tensions and polarization in the background.
At the same time that Israel and Hamas have been negotiating a ceasefire and the release of hostages, there has also been tension in Israel about a possible attack by Iran and the Lebanese extremist organization Hezbollah. Israel killed a Hezbollah commander in July By Fuad Shukri as well as presumably the senior leader of Hamas to Ismail Haniyeh.
The situation on the border between Israel and Lebanon has been very tense for a long time, and thousands of residents of the area have been evacuated on both sides. Israel said in June that it had a plan ready to attack Lebanon.
– The situation is very sensitive. Every day we see a little more attacks than before. The risk of either party going even further over the border is still very high, says Nordström.
“Finland and Israel have good relations”
Israel’s military operations in Gaza have strained its relations with its Western allies. More than 40,200 people have died as a result of the fighting, most of them children. The war has caused a huge humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is currently investigating whether Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. In turn, the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) has sought an arrest warrant for Israeli leaders, including the prime minister Benjamin to Netanyahu.
Nordström does not directly answer the question of whether Finland has changed its attitude towards Israel. He characterizes the relations between Finland and Israel as long and good.
– Of course, Finland is very strongly of the opinion that a ceasefire must now be reached and actions that lead to civilian suffering must be stopped, Nordström says.
Nordström adds that Finland finances humanitarian work in Gaza.
– We constantly take a stand ourselves and as part of the EU on what is happening in Gaza.
For example, Finland still trades arms with Israel. Last year, Finland purchased an air defense system from Israel for over 300 million euros.
– It is noteworthy that Finland does not export weapons to Israel. It is a question of long-term acquisitions that cross government terms, which are always made with Finland’s interests first. Some Israeli products have been the best at it, says Nordström.
According to Nordström, Finland is now monitoring how the international courts’ investigations concerning Israel are progressing.
“No quick fixes”
During the Gaza war, Finland has made statements in which it has said that it supports the two-state model.
Norway, Spain, Ireland and Slovenia recognized the Palestinian state in the summer as a show of support for the Middle East peace process. Also a large group of Finns non-governmental organizations appeal to Finland for the recognition of Palestine.
Finland plans to have a foreign minister Elina Valtonen (collective) to do this only when the two-state model is realized through a sustainable peace process.
Israel’s actions are not encouraging in this regard. In July, Israel accepted the most extensive settlement expansion On the West Bank for over 30 years. Because of the settlements, the areas where the Palestinians have partial self-government are fragmented into fragmented and separate parts.
The ICJ also ruled in July that Israeli settlements in the West Bank are unequivocally illegal, and ordered Israel to withdraw from the area.
When asked if, in this light, Israel is a credible party to the peace process in Finland’s eyes, Nordström says that a sustainable peace process also requires the Palestinians.
– The ongoing war in its current form started with the attack by Hamas on October 7. That is the reality in which Israel now lives. There is less trust on both sides than before.
In the shadow of the war in Gaza, Israel’s anti-terrorist raids have already taken their toll about 600 Palestinian lives In the West Bank and East Jerusalem. There are also bystanders and children in the group. The Palestinian residents of the area have also been forced into a tight spot by violent attacks by radical Jews living in the settlements.
The United States and the EU have imposed sanctions on individual settlers who are guilty of violence. Finland is involved in the sanctions imposed by the EU.
– The violence of the settlers towards the Palestinians is completely condemnable, says Nordström.
– There is a constant debate on the subject within the EU, in which Finland actively participates.
Nordström describes the situation as so complicated and historically layered that he sees no quick solutions ahead.
– If only a ceasefire and the release of the hostages could be arranged first. It would already be a significant step towards something next. However, I am not very optimistic that any kind of new situation would be brought to the Middle East very quickly.
The meeting of Finnish ambassadors will be held in Helsinki on August 26-28, 2024.