HELSINKI, Sept 18 (Askume) – Finnish President Alexander Stubb has defended Finland’s decision to buy arms from Israel despite the war in Gaza, saying it has nothing to do with Finland’s current reluctance to recognise an independent Palestinian state.
Finland is purchasing a land-based high-altitude missile defense system called David’s Sling from Israel . Helsinki considers the system a top priority for its defense as neighboring Russia continues missile attacks against civilian and military targets in Ukraine.
Stube, who took office in March, defined his and Finland’s new foreign policy stance as “value-based realism” aimed at “leaving the world as it is” and not just “making the world better. That’s exactly what I hoped.”
Stube told Askume in an interview on Tuesday that it was not the right time to recognise a Palestinian state, even though their Nordic neighbours Sweden, Iceland and most recently Norway have already done so.
“In the case of Israel and Palestine, values-based realism pervades our thinking about recognition of Palestine, in the sense that we want recognition to happen when it happens,” he said. “Solutions, peaceful solutions.
Last month, Stuab told Finnish diplomats that Finland’s recognition of a Palestinian state was “a matter of timing” and that the timing would be chosen strategically to promote peace in the Middle East.
He said that this decision has nothing to do with the arms deal with Israel.
“In this regard, I see only realism, in other words, the fact that we need these weapons. That’s why I am worried about Finland’s security.”
