Attacks and violence have escalated in the Palestinian territories in recent days, killing dozens of people. The Israeli apartheid regime is provoking and perpetuating a cycle of violence, denying Palestinians' right to their own territories and systematically destroying the Palestinian people.
There can be no peace in the conflict by condemning both parties at the same time or seeking a compromise. The simple fact is that the Palestinian people have been living under oppression for decades. Israel is occupying territories, destroying Palestinian homes and habitats, and engaging in blatant violence and racist policies against the Palestinian people. Palestinian-held territories have narrowed since 1948 due to Israel’s systematic policy of extermination and apartheid.
For these reasons, it can be clearly stated that the roots and continuity of the conflict are the cause of Israel’s apartheid policy. The country’s ruling elite must be held accountable for crimes against humanity. The common international peace message has to be that Israel must begin to respect the Palestinian people and accept the existence of a Palestinian state within the 1948 boundaries drawn by the United Nations, East Jerusalem as its capital.
The Finnish government must take a stand on the conflict as soon as possible and work in solidarity with the Palestinian people towards lasting peace. A big step in this is the official recognition of the Palestinian state and the presentation of this solution in public and in international forums. Finland must permanently stop all arms exports to Israel.
Jiri Mäntysalo
Chairperson, Communist Youth of Finland