Finland’s shift to NATO membership marks a historic geopolitical change, offering a chance to influence European Union (EU) policy toward Israel. Finland now has an opportunity to influence the EU in forming a strategic partnership with the Middle Eastern country, countering threats from Iran, and fostering regional peace. Following Israel’s Knesset rejecting a two-state solution in July 2024, Finland should push the EU to move beyond outdated Oslo Accords rhetoric, advocating for a demilitarized, deradicalized, and democratic Palestinian entity.
Following Russia’s attack on Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, Finland made a historic shift from its long-standing policy of non-alignment, culminating in its rapid accession to NATO on April 4, 2023. This transition, driven by a dramatic change in public opinion and geopolitical necessity, marks a significant departure from Finland’s Cold War-era strategy, sometimes referred to as “Finlandization,” due to its special relationship with Moscow.
For a long time, Finland’s Middle East policy …