It is very unusual that a group of officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs ended up criticizing the government's Israel policy in the fall.
UThe office of the Ministry of the Interior runs the day-to-day affairs of Finland's foreign and security policy. Officials feed the decision-making of Finland's management in matters of foreign and security policy with their reports, phone calls and assessments.
The ministry has become accustomed to influence, and over the years, many ministers have been directly under the guidance of the civil service.
The STT news agency reported on Wednesday that nearly 80 employees of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, especially the younger generation, wrote to Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen (kok) in November about their dissatisfaction with Finland's Israel policy. The letter stated that Finland should demand a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza and condemn Israel's disproportionate use of force and likely violations of international law in the Gaza area.
The conflict in the Middle East is very complex, but it is straightforward because it divides positions in the EU, the UN and the wider Western community. Presidential candidates, artists and researchers alike want to have their say on what Finland's line should be in the Gaza war. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is not detached from the rest of society, and especially for the younger generation, Gaza became a test for human rights policy.
The government's Israel policy changed over the course of the fall. In the beginning, the government's support for Israel was exceptionally strong. It was explained by many things, such as the composition of the government, the need to be careful of breaking away from the US line, and the shock of how brutally the terrorist organization Hamas, which controls the Palestinian territory of Gaza, attacked Israel on October 7.
Israel has responded to Hamas with brutal force. The number of civilian casualties is shocking. Many countries, including the United States, have hardened their stance towards Israel. The letter came at a time when Finland abstained from voting at the UN in favor of a ceasefire.
It is good in itself that independent officials are voicing their concerns. But as Valtonen reminded on Wednesday, the decisions are the responsibility of the politicians. Looking at the government's line now, there is no big change to be seen in the long line of Middle East policy.
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