Justice, Not Arms: Finland must end military cooperation with genocidal Israel

Yle reported on Saturday, 29 August, that in early 2024 Finland quietly renewed its memorandum of understanding with Israel concerning defence materiel procurement.

According to Minister of Defence Antti Häkkänen, drawing up such a memorandum is “standard practice between countries engaged in the defence materiel trade,” and this also applies to Israel. In his view, there is likewise “nothing unusual” about extending the duration of the agreement.

Already in September 2024 Sumud submitted a complaint to the Chancellor of Justice questioning the legality of the arms trade between Finland and Israel. In the complaint, Sumud raised concerns that Finland was failing to fulfil its obligations under the UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide and the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) by continuing its arms trade with Israel. The complaint also already then raised the issue of extending the memorandum of understanding.

Finland is violating its obligation to prevent genocide in Gaza

The initiative to renew the memorandum came from Finland at a time when allegations that Israel was committing genocide were already being examined at the highest possible level. The letter from the Ministry of Defence to Israel was sent on 25 January 2024, just one day before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) was due to issue its provisional ruling in the genocide case brought by South Africa against Israel. In its interim order, the Court found that there the claim that Israel was committing genocide in Gaza was plausible, and the risk of genocide was real and imminent.

In its 2007 judgment concerning the Srebrenica genocide, the ICJ established that states’ obligation to prevent genocide begins from the moment they become aware that a risk of genocide exists. No ruling by a court thet genocide is being committed is needed.

In relation to Israel, the obligation to prevent genocide, which also applies to Finland, arose no later than the turn of 2023–2024, when South Africa had submitted its case to the ICJ and the Court announced that it would hold oral hearings in the matter.

The presumption of innocence familiar from criminal law is not relevant here, and senior defence administration officials cannot invoke it as a justification for continuing Finland’s cooperation with Israel. The comment made by Commander of the Finnish Defence Forces Janne Jaakkola in an interview with Yle on 29 August, that he could continue cooperation with Israel “until determined otherwise,” is therefore incorrect.

Finland’s defence capability must not depend on testing weapons on Palestinians

Public discussion often reduces the Finnish defence industry’s cooperation with Israel solely to the threat of Russia and the David’s Sling system. However, the memorandum of understanding also covers research, weapons development and arms procurement until 2034.

For example, Patria, which is majority-owned by the Finnish state, has cooperated with Israeli arms companies for many years. The purpose of this development work has been not only to strengthen Finland’s defence, but also to create new products to boost Finnish exports. Patria has cooperated with Elbit and Rafael, Israel’s largest arms manufacturers. Both companies exploit the opportunity created by Israel’s occupation to test new technologies on human beings, namely Palestinians, as part of their product development. It is therefore telling that Commander Jaakkola said on Yle that Israeli arms manufacturers’ “operational experience” is a key part of developing Finland’s defence capability.

This government has failed: Finland’s foreign and security policy must change

The government has failed to act in accordance with Finland’s binding international obligations. Nor do its actions have the support of the public: a majority of Finns want to end the arms trade with Israel.

Sumud calls on political parties to commit in their election manifestos to ensuring that, during the next parliamentary term, Finland will:

• withdraw from the memorandum of understanding concluded with Israel and end all military cooperation;
• stop purchasing weapons from Israel and cancel existing arms import contracts;
• stop granting export licences for weapons and dual-use items to Israel and suspend all existing licences;
• and commit to ensuring that Finnish weapons or dual-use items are not exported to Israel through third parties.

We also urge individual candidates to advance these objectives through their election pledges.

Are you tired of seeing your tax money used to support genocide and war crimes? Be part of the force for change. Join Sumud.

Sumud’s Justice, Not Arms campaign works to end military ties between Finland and Israel.