Israel deplores Tuomioja’s apartheid comments

Embassy secretary also denies that Israel bombarded Tuomioja with junk emails in 2002

Erkki Tuomioja

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Finnish Minister for Foreign Affairs Erkki Tuomioja’s (SDP) "apartheid state" characterisations in connection with the Tuesday panel discussion on the future of Palestine at Helsinki’s Old Student House have received a stern reproof from Israel.
      “Most regrettable”, Yuval Donio Gideon, 2nd Secretary at the Israeli Embassy in Helsinki, noted to Helsingin Sanomat on Wednesday. “This does not do justice to reality. The challenge is to get the Palestinians back to the negotiating table, and comments like this are not constructive.”
      From the diplomatic language point of view, the Israeli diplomat’s choice of words can be interpreted as extremely strong.
     
On Tuesday night, Tuomioja compared Israel with South Africa during its apartheid era. Apartheid was the universally condemned racial discrimination system practices by the South African government.
      Tuomioja was speaking in a panel discussion, the subject of which was the future of Palestine and the Palestinian people. The event was organised by the Left Alliance and Social Democratic youth wings.
      “No apartheid state is justified or sustainable”, Tuomioja said.
      Tuomioja also pointed out that the very same apartheid comparison had earlier been used by the Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak.
      “A classic case of taking something out of its context”, Gideon argued.
      ”Barak used the term to show how important it was for Israel to succeed in its efforts to sit down at the same negotiating table with the Palestinians and achieve peace.”
      In the seemingly eternal crisis in the Middle East, both the Israelis and the Palestinians have had the habit of blaming each other for being an obstacle to peace.
      On Tuesday, Tuomioja especially referred to the Israeli settlements on the West Bank, which are widely considered illegal by the international community. According to the 2nd Secretary Gideon, the settlements are not illegal and are not a hindrance to peace.
      “The apartheid administration [of South Africa] segregated people based on skin colour and ethnicity, something that certainly has nothing to do with the West Bank area, which was conquered in the war of 1967.”
     
On Tuesday, Tuomioja also brought up a matter from his previous term as Finland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs.
      Back in 2002, Tuomioja’s email inbox was filled with thousands of units of junk mail, the footprints of which, according to Tuomioja, led back to the Israeli Foreign Ministry.
      “I can assure you that the Israeli government does not send junk email to anybody; not to Tuomioja or anyone else”, Gideon declared.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Tuomioja on Israel: “Apartheid state not justified” (26.10.2011)

Helsingin Sanomat