Prime Minister Petteri Orpo (NCP) has defended Finland's vote at the UN condemning Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territories. Finland voted last week in favour of a statement declaring such settlements to be illegal.
Orpo told the Finnish news agency STT on Thursday that the voting decision was outlined by Finland's foreign policy leadership and was in line with Finland's Middle East policy and UN policy.
The voting decision has been criticised by members of two partners in Orpo's four-party right-wing government, the Christian Democrats and the Finns Party. Orpo told STT he believes that the differences will be resolved when the ministers return to Finland and meet face-to-face.
Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen (NCP), Minister of Social Security Sanni Grahn-Laasonen (NCP) as well as Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Ville Tavio (Finns) are now accompanying President Alexander Stubb on a five-day visit to New York for the High-level Week of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly, which ends on Thursday.
Earlier this week, Stubb took the unusual step of publicly reprimanding Tavio for his independent decision to withdraw Finland from an international gender-equality alliance for the rebuilding of Ukraine.
Only two European countries voted 'no'
The General Assembly passed a resolution demanding an end to Israel's occupation of Palestine within the next 12 months by an overwhelming margin on 18 September.
It was held during an emergency special session considering Israeli actions in occupied East Jerusalem and the rest of the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
The vote was 124-14, with 43 countries abstaining. Czechia and Hungary were the only European countries to join Israel and the United States in voting 'no,' while Sweden and Denmark were among those abstaining.