National Coalition Party MP Pia Kauma has changed her position on Palestine. Photo: Antti Aimo-Koivisto / Lehtikuva
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Two members of Finland’s governing coalition have changed their position on Palestine following months of Israeli military operations in Gaza, according to an interview published by Helsingin Sanomat.
Pia Kauma, MP for the National Coalition Party (NCP), said she no longer opposes recognising Palestine as a state, a reversal of her earlier position that such a move would reward Hamas.
“What I cannot accept is the destruction that has gone too far and the starvation of people.
It makes no sense,” she told Helsingin Sanomat. “Israel’s actions went too far long ago.”
Kauma pointed to widespread damage in Gaza, stating that little remains of the territory, which is comparable in size to the Finnish municipality of Inkoo. She said the territory has been bombed to the ground.
Her comments come after multiple visits to Israel and the Palestinian city of Ramallah over the past year, during her tenure as chair of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly. She said she aimed to understand both Israeli objectives and Palestinian perspectives.
Kauma said that discussions with Israeli officials were difficult and that even subtle criticism was not well received.
“They said Israel always gives advance warning before strikes so civilians can flee. But they rejected the concept of innocent civilians,” she said.
According to Kauma, some Israeli actors argued that older Palestinian children killed in strikes were considered combatants aligned with Hamas. She added that Hamas uses children as human shields but stressed the responsibility still lies with the state actor.
Hamas killed nearly 1,200 people in its October 2023 attack on Israel. Since then, more than 60,000 people have reportedly been killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza, according to international estimates.
Veijo Niemi, an MP from the Finns Party, also acknowledged a shift in his view. He said Israel had a right to defend itself after the Hamas attack but now believes the operation has continued too far.
“They [Israel] seem to want to continue until Gaza is completely flattened. The human toll is massive,” he said.
Niemi said he still does not see a recognisable Palestinian state at this stage. In his view, a ceasefire, disarmament of Hamas, and establishment of a functioning Palestinian government and police force would need to precede any recognition by Finland.
“In the meantime, food and aid must be sent to civilians in Gaza urgently,” he said.
Kauma said Finland is “fairly close” to recognising Palestine, but stopped short of calling for immediate action. She said a clearer view may emerge following next week’s United Nations General Assembly, where several Western countries are expected to announce recognition.
While the Finns Party and Christian Democrats oppose recognising Palestinian statehood, Kauma called for a broader understanding that peace in the Middle East requires movement from all sides.
“It can’t happen by entrenching yourself too firmly behind either side,” she said.
Kauma maintained that Israel has the right to defend itself but added that the justification for the country’s actions expired “a long time ago.”
This week, United Nations investigators said Israel’s actions in Gaza since October 2023 amount to genocide, with the stated goal of destroying the Palestinian population in the territory. Israel has rejected the accusation and launched an offensive on Gaza City days after the report was released.
HT
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Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
