Finland’s complicity in genocide deepens – Sumud demands accountability
Minister Tavio’s announcement of ending Finland’s multiannual funding to UNRWA, the UN Palestine refugee agency, fuels Israel’s attack on the agency and deepens Finland’s complicity in genocide.
Israel has over several years led an ongoing campaign of unsubstantiated allegations against UNRWAs work spreading disinformation aiming to justify Israeli policies, undermine trust in UNRWA, and reduce donor support, and this has intensified since October 7 2023.
Israel has made it clear it wants to dismantle UNRWA. In 2024 the Knesset approved legislation that banned UNRWA. In Gaza, Israel has killed at least 392 UNRWA staff and hundreds of their children and damaged or destroyed 312 UNRWA premises and other UN property. In January 2026, Israel demolished the UNRWA headquarters in occupied East Jerusalem. Just days before Minister Tavio’s announcement of ending support to UNRWA, Israel attacked UNRWAs vocational school in East Jerusalem. Finland remained silent.
By destroying UNRWA Israel aims to erase the underlying Palestine refugees’ right of return and the international community’s responsibility for the question of Palestine including the unresolved refugee crisis since the Nakba in 1948. By diverting funding from UNRWA to other agencies Finland is contributing to this attempted erasure of Palestine refugees.
The attacks on UNRWA constitute attacks on the United Nations and are violations of international law. In October 2025 the International Court of Justice confirmed that all UN member states, in particular Israel as the occupying power, have an obligation to facilitate UNRWA’s work and its ability to meet the basic human rights and needs of the Palestinian people. The ICJ stated that Israel is prohibited from impeding humanitarian relief and from restricting UNRWA’s presence and activities to a degree that creates, or contributes to, conditions of life that are intolerable and would force the population to leave. The ICJ made clear that neither Israel’s allegations nor its security interests provide an excuse for Israel to violate its obligations.
Instead of advancing consequences for Israel’s violations of these obligations, Finland has made a decision to end funding to the agency whose purpose is to provide basic needs and protection for Palestine refugees. Sumud raised this concern in a complaint the the chancellor of justice based on an earlier freeze of funding which was eventually backtracked.
All the while Finland’s and the EU’s political and financial support to Israel continues. The lack of accountability, and the continued support has emboldened Israel to continue further atrocities. Israel's defence minister announced plans for forcible transfer of Palestinians from Gaza. Israel's Minister of interior affairs continues to issue genocidal statements.
Finland’s complicity in the genocide, and the erasure of Palestine refugees has to stop. Finland must reinstate its multi-annual support to UNRWA and protect UNRWA's vital work, and the rights and needs of the Palestinian people. Sumud demands an end to Finland’s military cooperation with Israel and immediate freezing of EU’s preferential trade agreement.