Greens’ Hyrkkö and Hopsu: Orpo’s cabinet must decide on recognizing Palestine
Deputy chairs of the Green parliamentary group, Saara Hyrkkö and Inka Hopsu, are calling on Prime Minister Petteri Orpo’s government to match words with action to help prevent genocide against Palestinians and to keep the two-state solution alive.
According to Saara Hyrkkö and Inka Hopsu, Deputy chairs of the Green parliamentary group, statements in support of a two-state solution ring hollow without the political will to recognize Palestine together with the rest of Europe. Both MPs are currently in Edinburgh at an international conference on peace plans for Israel and Palestine.
“Finland’s support for the two-state model is meaningless without action. Finland must recognize Palestine and, as part of the international community, press Israel to stop killing Palestinians and seizing new land in occupied territories. Orpo’s so-called ‘racism summit’ must deliver concrete decisions,” said Hyrkkö, who also serves as vice-chair of Parliament’s Palestine Friendship Group.
The two Green MPs demand that the government’s ongoing budget negotiations formally decide on recognizing Palestine.
“Israel is carrying out a genocide and starving children before our eyes. At the same time, Israeli leaders act openly hostile toward Palestinians and deliberately block any path to a two-state solution. Against this backdrop, Finland’s hesitation to recognize Palestine risks leaving us on the wrong side of history. The budget session is high time to make this decision,” stressed Hopsu, who chairs Parliament’s Human Rights Network.
Hyrkkö and Hopsu also demand immediate measures to address the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.
“Finland must act without delay to evacuate child patients from Gaza to Finland for treatment. The Helsinki and Uusimaa Hospital District has already confirmed its readiness to provide care — the only obstacle is Prime Minister Orpo’s government,” the MPs said.
