The Green Party Becomes Finland’s Second Apartheid-Free Parliamentary Party  – Now It Is Time for Action

Image: Emma Grönqvist.

Sumud – the Finnish Palestine Network welcomes the decision by the Green Party of Finland to declare itself an Apartheid Free Zone. This decision demonstrates that the party recognizes the systematic oppression and apartheid faced by Palestinians and is prepared to take action to help bring them to an end.

The Green Party of Finland now becomes the second parliamentary party in Finland, after the Left Alliance, to commit to the demands of the Palestinian-led BDS movement (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) to end complicity in Israel’s violations of international law, including illegal occupation, colonialism, apartheid, and genocide.

An Apartheid-Free Zone — whether a business, association, or other organization — commits to ending its own complicity in apartheid and to promoting human rights, international law, and anti-racism. Apartheid Free Zones, for example, boycott companies and brands listed by the BDS movement as boycott targets. They also oppose all forms of oppression and discrimination, including Islamophobia and antisemitism.

For a parliamentary party, declaring itself an Apartheid Free Zone means committing to policies that uphold international law and oppose apartheid.

The decisions made by the Green Party of Finland and the Left Alliance are significant for Finnish politics and for the advancement of international law. They signal that Israel’s system of apartheid can no longer be ignored. We thank both parties for this commitment. Its true significance, however, will be measured by concrete action, by the extent to which they work to end Finland’s complicity in apartheid and other violations of international law.

We challenge all Finnish parliamentary parties to follow the example set by the Green Party of Finland and the Left Alliance. Defending human rights and international law is a responsibility shared by all. Every party should assess its policies and actions in relation to Israeli apartheid and the impact of Finland’s foreign and security policies on Palestine.

Finland has an obligation to ensure that it neither supports nor enables violations of international law. As initial steps, Finland should follow the example of the Netherlands and Spain by banning the import of products from Israeli settlements and ending all other trade with illegal settlements. Finland should also end arms trade and all other forms of military cooperation with Israel.

The freedom, human rights, and dignity of Palestinians are not matters for negotiation. They are universal rights. Upholding them requires action—and benefits everyone.

Sumud – Finnish Palestine Network
BDS Finland