Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen commented on the Palestine declaration at a media briefing in Helsinki on 5 September 2025. Photo: Mikko Stig / Lehtikuva
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Finland has joined the New York declaration led by France and Saudi Arabia in support of a peaceful resolution to the Palestinian issue through a two-state model.
Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen announced the decision on 5 September. She said the declaration aimed to end the Gaza war and remove Hamas from Palestinian governance.
The declaration includes wide support from Arab countries and Western states.
It calls for the disarmament of Hamas, guarantees for the security of both Israelis and Palestinians, a ceasefire, and the delivery of humanitarian aid. It also condemns Hamas’s October 2023 attack and Israel’s operations that have resulted in civilian casualties in Gaza.
Valtonen called the initiative “the most significant international effort in years” to revive the conditions for a two-state solution. She said it was in line with Finland’s foreign and security policy as adopted by Parliament.
Three ministers, Sari Essayah, Riikka Purra, and Ville Tavio, disagreed. They entered dissenting opinions in the minutes of the Cabinet Committee on Foreign and Security Policy. They argued that the declaration contradicts Finland’s approved policy, which stipulates that a two-state solution must be negotiated directly between the parties.
“This does not officially recognise a Palestinian state,” Essayah said, “but it promotes the two-state model in a way that contradicts our agreed position, which states the model must be based on mutual agreement.”
Purra added that the declaration contained positive elements but exceeded the framework laid out in the security policy paper. She said it included irreversible steps toward a Palestinian state without sufficient negotiation between the parties.
Valtonen disputed their interpretation. She said the declaration aligns with the government programme and the security policy statement passed by Parliament. She also argued that changes in the region, including the actions and rhetoric of Israel, justify a more proactive stance to preserve the conditions for future peace.
“The idea that we wait for negotiations that may never come is no longer realistic,” she said. “The international community must keep the two-state option alive.”
Valtonen highlighted the support of Arab states, including the Arab League. The declaration’s signatories include 22 Arab countries. It demands Hamas’s disarmament and a transfer of control in Gaza, a stance not previously endorsed by such a broad coalition.
She said that by signing the declaration, Finland supports efforts to secure regional peace and lay the groundwork for Palestinian self-governance under democratic reforms. The declaration does not call for the recognition of Palestine as a state.
Valtonen said humanitarian aid must reach Gaza without delay and that obstacles to its delivery must be removed. The declaration outlines a reconstruction plan to be led by Arab states. It also proposes an international mission to support the restoration of internal security by the Palestinian Authority and monitor the ceasefire.
Prime Minister Petteri Orpo supported Valtonen’s position. He said the decision aligns with both the government programme and Finland’s foreign and security policy.
“It’s about creating the conditions for a two-state solution and lasting peace in the Middle East,” Orpo told Ilta-Sanomat. “That’s why we support the declaration.”
Orpo acknowledged the internal disagreement but said he did not see it as a problem.
“It’s healthier to have a debate than to enforce artificial consensus,” he said.
The New York declaration requires broad international backing to be effective. It was prepared in anticipation of the United Nations General Assembly later in September, where further steps are expected.
Valtonen said the timing of the declaration matters. She referred to Israel’s recent actions, which she argued risk undermining the basis for future negotiations by reducing the territory allocated to Palestinians.
She also pointed to statements suggesting the forced displacement or deprivation of the Palestinian population.
“Such measures are unacceptable,” she said.
Despite the dispute within the government, Valtonen said she does not view differing opinions as a failure.
“We live in a democracy,” she said. “It’s important that parties can express their views.”
The declaration also states that UNRWA’s responsibilities in Gaza should be transferred to the Palestinian Authority once a peace settlement is in place. It calls for Israel to withdraw from Gaza and for the area’s reconstruction to proceed under Arab leadership.
The move places Finland among the countries publicly supporting a renewed push for a two-state solution. Valtonen said many of Finland’s peer countries have already joined the declaration or plan to do so.
The decision to join was made under the foreign minister’s authority and did not require cabinet consensus. The deadline for signing the declaration was 5 September.
HT
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Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
