Foreign Minister Stubb apologises for gaffe on destroyed Gaza clinic

Finn Church Aid wants clarifications from Israel

Alexander Stubb

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Finland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Alexander Stubb (Nat. Coalition Party) apologised on Thursday for remarks on the destruction of a clinic set up in Gaza by Finn Church Aid, the foreign aid agency of the Finnish Evangelical-Lutheran Church.
      The clinic was destroyed by an Israeli missile in January.
     
On Wednesday, Stubb said in a discussion with a Swedish- language news broadcast of the Finnish Broadcasting Company (YLE) that he does not plan to raise the issue any more, because it would amount to advertising on behalf of Finn Church Aid.
      Stubb compared the destruction of the clinic with a situation in which someone whose mobile phone is stolen would ask the Foreign Minister for help.
      "To be honest, why should I advertise Finn Church Aid? It is a little bit like ‘my Nokia was stolen, do you plan to do something?’ They’re trying to raise their own brand, as it were. That’s the point”, Stubb said, mixing Swedish and English.
      Finn Church Aid expressed surprise at what it saw as an ill-considered comment on Stubb’s part.
     
On Thursday morning Stubb was apologetic.
      “It was completely my mistake, and I apologise. I didn’t know that the microphones were on. The attack has been condemned. This was a question of a bad joke”, Stubb said on YLE’s morning TV.
      Also on Thursday, Subb emphasised that Finn Church Aid does excellent work, adding that the attack in Gaza “was condemned already then, and that Finland condemns it now as well”.
      Finn Church Aid executive director Antti Pentikäinen accepted the Foreign Minister’s apology.
      “Stubb called me immediately in the morning and expressed regret”, Pentikäinen said.
     
In late July Israel submitted a report on the attack, in which it said that it had been unaware of the existence of the clinic, thinking that the building was an arms storage facility of Hamas.
      Finn Church Aid says that a white cross had been painted on the roof of the building to indicate its humanitarian use.
      Stubb has said that Finland does not demand any further clarifications on the destruction of the clinic.
      However, negotiations between Finn Church Aid and Israel are not over.
     
Antti Pentikäinen says that he is continuing his discussions on the matter with the Israeli Ambassador in Finland. He says that a thorough investigation of the attack is important, because in a conflict situation those giving humanitarian aid have no protection other than what the parties to the conflict offer them.
      “It appears that Israel used fairly systematic force against humanitarian aid targets”, Pentikäinen says. “If the violations are not addressed, they will continue.”
      Pentikäinen says that he is holding discussions with other humanitarian groups that were targets of attack in the Gaza War. Pentikäinen did not want to say if there would be moves to deal with the matter in an international court.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Israel promises report on destroyed Gaza clinic (15.1.2009)
  Foreign Minister Stubb denounces Israeli attack on clinic run by Finnchurchaid (13.1.2009)
  Finnish nurse speaks of “sad atmosphere” at Gaza hospital (9.1.2009)

Links:
  Finn Church Aid

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