Finland opposition threatens no-confidence vote over recognition of Palestine

Finland's biggest opposition party has said that it will seek a vote of no-confidence against the government if it does not clarify the country's position on the recognition of a Palestinian state, local media have reported.

Antti Lindtman, the leader of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), said that Finland is in "danger of being on the wrong side of history".

"There is at least one party in the Finnish government for which denying Palestinian rights has become a direct religious doctrine. And as a result, our foreign policy decision-making has been paralyzed, and our country's voice in the world is poorly heard and badly out of tune," Lindtman said.

He said that Finland's Prime Minister Petteri Orpo's government must take steps to put pressure on Israel.

He also said that Finland must push for the suspension of an EU-Israel trade deal and that the EU should "immediately pressure" Israel to end its attacks and allow aid trucks into Gaza.

In July, Finland's President Alexander Stubb said he is prepared to approve the recognition of Palestine, and the Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen said that Finland has signed a statement encouraging the recognition of the state of Palestine.

United Kingdom, France, Canada, Portugal, and Malta have already announced plans to recognize the Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly meeting in September.

Valtonen

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Finland opposition threatens no-confidence vote over recognition of Palestine

Finland opposition threatens no-confidence vote over recognition of Palestine