Andersson censures govt for not voting for Gaza ceasefire resolution

Chairperson the Vasemmistoliitto (Left Alliance) Li Andersson criticized the four-party alliance government for abstaining from casting vote on the UN General Assembly resolution seeking humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza late Friday night.

She also said that Finland's decision to refrain from voting for the resolution created confusion about country´s position on the proposed humanitarian ceasefire, local media reported on Monday.

Finland was one of the 45 countries refrained from casting vote on the resolution, which was adopted with 120 votes in favour and 14 votes against.

Earlier on Saturday, Andersson in a post on social media platform X, rejected the government argument for not voting in favour of the ceasefire resolution

"The arguments (pointed out by the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister) are not convincing. The text of the resolution very clearly condemned all attacks and terrorist activities against Palestinians and Israelis,” Andersson wrote her post in Finnish.

Referring to the role of Norway, Spain, France, Ireland and Slovenia, who cast votes in favour of the resolution, Andersson straightway rejected the argument of Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen where she said that Finland abstained from voting on the UN General Assembly resolution in line with other EU and Nordic countries such as Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands.

“Neither the EU nor the Nordic countries had a uniform position for voting on the issue. For example, Norway, Spain, France, Ireland & Slovenia voted in favor (of the resolution),” Andersson, also the Vasemmistoliitto candidate for the upcoming presidential election scheduled for January 2024.

Earlier, Prime Minister Petteri Orpo and Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen of the four-party alliance government led by Kansallinen Kokoomus (National Coalition Party) on Saturday defended Finland´s position to abstain from casting vote on the UN General Assembly resolution seeking humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza.

Talking to journalists at the Kokoomus meeting at Otaniemi in Espoo, the Prime Minister said that Finland's decision to abstain in the UN vote was consistent with its policies as Finland condemned the attacks by Hamas and stressed that Israel has the right to defend itself, reported national broadcaster Yle.

"Hamas was not even mentioned in this resolution, and that is why we abstained from voting,” said the Yle report, quoting Orpo, also chairperson of Kokoomus as saying.

The Foreign Minister, also a leader of Kokoomus in a post in social media X in Finnish also said that Finland abstained from voting on the UN General Assembly resolution on Friday in line with other EU countries such as Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands.

“Finland would have cast vote in favour of the resolution, if it had condemned the attack by the terrorist organization Hamas,” Valtonen wrote in her post.

Andersson also rejected the logic placed by the Foreign Minister.

"Hamas was not mentioned by name, but neither was Israel. We would have liked to see Finland follow the example of some EU countries, including France, Belgium, Spain and Norway, and vote in favour of the resolution," said national broadcaster Yle in a report on Monday, quoting Andersson as saying.

The resolution demands that all parties immediately and fully comply with their obligations under international law, particularly in regard to the protection of civilians and civilian objects, and enable and facilitate humanitarian access for essential supplies and services to reach all civilians in need in Gaza, reported Xinhua.

It also calls for the rescinding of the order by Israel for Palestinian civilians and UN staff, as well as humanitarian and medical workers, to evacuate all areas in the Gaza Strip north of the Wadi Gaza and relocate to southern Gaza.

The resolution firmly rejects any attempts at the forced transfer of the Palestinian civilian population.

It calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all civilians who are being illegally held captive, demanding their safety, well-being and humane treatment in compliance with international law.