Palestine/Israel and Global Accountability

The Implementation of International Law Starts from Finland Too

On November 21, 2024, a webinar was held on the topic of global responsibility in Israel/Palestine. The event was organized by Sumud – the Finland-Palestine Network and the 1325 Women, Peace, and Security Network. The UN Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Francesca Albanese, emphasized in her address Finland’s responsibility in preventing the genocide carried out by Israel and ending the illegal occupation: relations with Israel cannot remain the same, and arms trade must cease. Communication expert Tamam Abusalama from Gaza highlighted the role of civil society and the international community as supporters of Palestine. Amnesty researcher Budour Hassan described the gendered impacts of Israel’s occupation and apartheid.

Historical Background

Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, began her speech by recalling the context and history of Israel/Palestine, where violations of international law have been present from the outset. In 1948, Israel was established on Palestinian land, and 750,000 Palestinians were evicted from their homes. These events are referred to by the Arabic term nakba, catastrophe. “Denying Nakba is like denying the Holocaust,” Albanese reminded. Forced displacements, denial of the right of return, and lack of compensation are all violations of international law.

In 1967, Israel occupied Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and began transferring its citizens to these areas against international law. Albanese noted that under the pretext of occupation, Israel has expanded its control and subjected Palestinians to military rule. Civilians are tried in military courts, with the youngest defendants being just 12 years old. Settlements and their establishment are war crimes in themselves, and the destruction of Palestinian homes, forced displacements, and collective punishments continue to this day. According to Albanese, examining history shows that the intensified violence by Israel in 2023 is not a new phenomenon but has always been present for Palestinians.

Albanese emphasized viewing the situation as part of a broader history of colonialism. For centuries, European states have subjugated indigenous peoples, plundered lands, and committed genocides. Settler colonialism is not history but continues today as nations fight for self-determination. In Albanese’s view, Palestine can serve as a starting point for reflection on broader structural issues, Western dominance, and global justice concerns. Struggles for justice are interconnected and therefore require joint action.

The Role of Palestinian Civil Society

Gazan communication expert Tamam Abusalama explained that Palestinian civil society has been active and has played a strong role since the beginning of the occupation. Youth movements, labor unions, refugee networks, and numerous other entities have participated in resistance. Civil society independently developed during the first Intifada and organized resistance against the occupation as a result of collective action. The violence, humiliation, and torture faced by Palestinians drove the resistance. Abusalama summarized how Palestinian civil society has employed various forms of resistance, ranging from armed struggle to community-building, nonviolent resistance, anti-apartheid protests, and peace negotiations.

Finland’s and the International Community’s Responsibility

Albanese stressed that Finland and other states must critically assess their role in the situation in Palestine. She emphasized that Finland’s relations with Israel cannot remain unchanged as Israel continues to commit violations of international law. Israel has not complied with the International Court of Justice’s rulings to end military actions in Gaza. The court has also declared Israel’s occupation illegal and demanded its withdrawal from Palestinian territories. According to Albanese, Finland should immediately cease all arms trade with Israel, investigate and sever economic, diplomatic, and academic ties with Israel, and provide citizens full transparency regarding Finland’s relationships with Israel in trade, technology, and arms exports.

Sumud has filed a complaint with the Chancellor of Justice regarding Finland’s arms trade with Israel. Albanese noted that according to obligations under international law, Finland should have suspended arms trade immediately after the International Court of Justice’s advisory opinion.

According to Abusalama, the international community’s role as a protector of human rights should translate into action. The international community must respond to the political aspirations and demands of Palestinians and act as a pillar of support for the liberation movement. The international community’s role is especially emphasized now when international justice mechanisms have so far failed to hold war criminals accountable. At the same time, it must understand the connection of Palestine’s struggle to other global injustices, such as racism, discrimination, environmental and climate injustices, queer rights, gender issues, and many others. Abusalama emphasized that the international community must raise awareness of the intersectional nature of Palestine’s cause and that fundamentally, the issue is about humanity.

Abusalama stressed that Palestine has the right to self-determination and liberation from occupation in accordance with international law. Although Palestinians desire a sovereign state, their demands are deeper. Palestinians demand liberation for all. The international community and civil society must call on states and corporations to join the boycott movement. According to Abusalama, failure in this strengthens Zionism and settler colonialism, continuing ethnic cleansing, forced displacements, genocide, starvation, and colonial violence. Frustration, despair, and anger may lead Palestinians to adopt new forms of resistance.

Various development aid projects in the area have not prevented violence or resource exploitation in Palestine. Abusalama stated that Palestinians are tired of the development aid approach, as it is insufficient: other tools, such as the BDS movement and boycotts, are needed to achieve justice and liberation. Abusalama hopes above all for action, as mere speeches and discussions are not enough.

The Role of Women Amid Occupation and War

The webinar also addressed the gendered impacts of Israel’s occupation and apartheid. Amnesty researcher Budour Hassan explored the effects of occupation on women’s daily lives and the intimacy of families. Palestine has been divided into different areas isolated from each other by Israel, restricting movement between them partially or completely. For women, this affects, for example, where they can start a family: marriage may mean giving up the personal safety or services provided by one’s area ID card. Israel’s use of home demolitions as a punitive measure also violates the privacy of women and families, particularly children’s sense of security.

Hassan reminded that the conditions for women and all residents in Gaza are currently unprecedentedly horrific. The internal displacement caused by Israel’s attacks has reached inhumane levels: 90% of Gazans have been displaced at least once during war, many multiple times. In refugee camps, women are especially vulnerable and often have no privacy. Many girls have experienced their first menstruation in a tent, and these areas lack adequate health services. Pregnant women, new mothers, and their babies face significant risks due to bombings targeting hospitals, their overcrowding, and widespread malnutrition. Hassan reflected on the intergenerational impacts of genocide in Gaza. What is it like to grow up without basic conditions for girlhood or life? It is currently impossible to grasp how far-reaching these experiences are for present and future generations, but it is certain that the longer the genocide continues, the harder reconstruction will be.

Albanese emphasized that although women suffer particularly from the consequences of war and settlement policies, they play a crucial role in the Palestinian liberation struggle. The international community should support Palestinians’ rights to freedom and self-determination without adopting a white savior mentality. She reminded that Palestine has a strong feminist tradition, and women are key actors in both local and international resistance. All speakers stressed that the greatest threat to Palestinian women is Israel’s occupation and military actions, and this should be better recognized in national Women, Peace, and Security programs alongside domestic violence and other challenges. They also emphasized that international support for Palestinian feminist and gender movements cannot be conditional – many funders have currently withdrawn support from organizations citing the situation in Gaza.

Hassan also highlighted that occupation and war affect all genders. Due to conflict conditions, Palestinian men may be forced to forgo tenderness and are often subject to racist and reductive stereotypes about brown and Arab men. Men are primarily seen as fighters or are labeled as terrorists, leaving their human suffering from occupation and war unnoticed. Palestinian men are equally victims of war and suffering – they are fathers, sons, and spouses who have had to bury their families, or workers digging victims out of bombed buildings.

The ICC’s Decision

On the webinar day, November 21, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued a significant decision confirming arrest warrants for Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. The decision mandates member states to arrest them should they enter those states’ territories. Albanese noted that this symbolizes the mobilization of international legal mechanisms, even though actions are delayed and Israel’s crimes continue.

Recommendations for Action

Albanese presented concrete ways for Finland and the international community to act:

• Economic and military relations with Israel must be severed: arms trade must end, and university cooperation frozen. Finnish entities, such as companies and investors, should be investigated for potential support of the occupation.
• Civil society actors must ally in solidarity work and support the boycott campaign of the BDS movement.
• Education and awareness must be increased. Media narratives dehumanizing Palestinians and spreading false accusations must be corrected: criticizing Israel is not antisemitism.

The full list of recommendations by UN experts is available here.
The webinar recording is available on Sumud’s YouTube channel.

This summary of the webinar was compiled by Suvi Autiosaari and Ansa Kilpeläinen from Finland’s Women, Peace, and Security Network, as well as Ida-Emilia Reini from Sumud.