Even as Finland and other European countries ramp up public criticism of Israel, it turns out that behind the scenes, defense cooperation between Helsinki and Jerusalem continues—and is now locked in for the long term.
1+According to a report by Finland’s public broadcaster Yle, Finland and Israel have extended their defense cooperation framework through 2034. The agreement covers joint research, development, and procurement of defense systems, along with a permanent coordination mechanism between the two countries.
One of the centerpieces of the cooperation is Finland’s purchase of Israel’s David’s Sling air defense system for approximately €317 million. The system, developed in Israel by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems in partnership with the United States, is designed to counter aerial threats and missiles at medium and long ranges.
1+The Finnish report comes as the country has sharply criticized Israel over the war in Gaza. Since fighting broke out, calls in Finland for Israel to halt the war have grown louder, alongside criticism of the humanitarian situation in the Strip and the policies of Israel’s government. The report also claims that Finland’s Defense Ministry is withholding information about its military cooperation with Israel.
The upshot: while the public and political message toward Israel has grown more critical, it hasn’t led to severing defense ties. On the contrary, Finland is building a cooperation framework with Israel that stretches years into the future—and is buying one of the world’s most advanced air defense systems from it.