Finland-Israel defence cooperation has been extended until 2034 under a memorandum agreed in 2024, after the latest war in Gaza had already begun. The Finnish Ministry of Defence did not publicly announce the agreement at the time, according to an investigation by Yle, prompting opposition parties to question both the decision and the way it was handled.
The memorandum covers cooperation in the research, development and procurement of defence materiel. Finland proposed renewing the arrangement in early 2024 and agreed with Israel to extend it for ten years, twice as long as the previous five-year periods.
Defence Minister Antti Häkkänen has rejected the suggestion that the memorandum represents a significant change in Finnish policy. Critics, however, argue that the agreement deepens Finland’s long-term relationship with the Israeli defence industry at a time when Helsinki has increasingly criticised Israel’s conduct in Gaza.
Finland-Israel defence cooperation was renewed for ten years
The defence materiel memorandum was first established in 2013 and was approaching expiry when Finland initiated its renewal.
According to Yle, the new arrangement provides a framework for cooperation on defence-related research, development and procurement. It also establishes a joint coordination group involving representatives of the two defence administrations, which is expected to meet at least once a year.
The most unusual element is its duration. Previous renewals had covered five-year periods, while the memorandum agreed in 2024 will remain valid until 2034.
The Ministry of Defence did not issue a public announcement when the memorandum was renewed. Yle also reported that, unlike when the previous extension was handled in 2019, the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs was not informed of the process in 2024.
For researcher Kari Paasonen of the Tampere Peace Research Institute, who studies arms trade, this raises a wider foreign policy question.
“Defence policy is also foreign policy,” Paasonen told Yle, arguing that defence-industrial cooperation can affect Finland’s room for manoeuvre in its relations with other countries.
Häkkänen says the agreement is not a new policy
Häkkänen, who approved the memorandum in 2024, has described such arrangements as a routine part of international defence procurement.
Finland has similar cooperation documents with around 40 countries, he told Yle, and Israel has long been among Finland’s defence suppliers.
The minister has particularly linked the memorandum to Finland’s existing Israeli-made weapons systems.
In 2023, Finland signed a €316 million agreement to purchase the David’s Sling long-range air defence system, developed by Israel’s Rafael together with the US company Raytheon. The purchase also includes an option worth a further €213 million.
The system requires maintenance, software updates, spare parts and technical cooperation throughout its operational life.
According to Häkkänen, the memorandum concerns the implementation of existing air defence acquisitions and other procurement cooperation rather than a new political direction.
“It is not some dramatic new policy,” he told Yle.
Finland has purchased several other major Israeli systems in recent years. According to figures previously compiled by Yle, Finnish orders from Israel over the past decade have exceeded €800 million when counting contracts worth at least €10 million.
Finnish defence companies have also expanded ties with Israel
The relationship is not limited to Finnish government purchases.
State-controlled defence company Patria has worked with several Israeli manufacturers. Its AMV XP 8×8 armoured vehicle has been selected for integration with Rafael’s Trophy active protection system, while other versions have used technologies produced by Israeli companies including Elbit Systems.
A Finland-Israel defence industry seminar was also held in Helsinki in May 2026, bringing together companies from both countries.
The development has contributed to a debate over whether Finland is becoming increasingly dependent on Israeli defence technology.
Paasonen told Yle that already completed acquisitions mean Finland will remain a customer of Israeli companies regardless of whether Helsinki makes further major purchases in the immediate future.
Weapons systems generally require years of servicing, spare parts and upgrades after the original procurement.
The Greens and Left Alliance want answers from the government
The disclosure has led to strong criticism from two opposition parties.
Greens chair Sofia Virta described the renewal as a “historic disgrace” and accused the government of increasing Finland’s dependence on Israel despite the continuing war in Gaza.
Virta also linked the issue to Finland’s decision this week not to renew its multi-year funding agreement with UNRWA, the UN agency supporting Palestinian refugees. Finland had provided the organisation with €5 million a year under the agreement covering 2023 to 2026.
According to Virta, ending that funding while maintaining long-term defence cooperation with Israel illustrates a contradiction in the government’s policy towards the conflict.
Left Alliance chair Minja Koskela has also criticised the memorandum and said MPs from her party will submit a written parliamentary question.
The party wants the government to clarify who knew about the renewal, why Finland initiated it and whether the memorandum could be terminated.
Koskela has also questioned why the agreement was extended for ten years rather than the previous five and whether different parts of the government were adequately informed.
The agreement comes amid a wider dispute over Finland’s Israel policy
The controversy reflects a broader tension in Finnish foreign policy.
Prime Minister Petteri Orpo and Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen have increasingly criticised Israeli actions in Gaza and previously said that arms trade involving Israel should be subject to careful assessment.
At the same time, Finland’s defence relationship with Israeli companies has continued because of previously agreed acquisitions and long-term technological cooperation.
The international legal context has also changed substantially since the memorandum was renewed.
In September 2025, the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry concluded that Israel had committed genocide in Gaza. Israel categorically rejected the finding and has consistently denied genocide allegations.
Separately, proceedings brought by South Africa against Israel under the Genocide Convention remain before the International Court of Justice. The Court’s provisional measures issued since 2024 have not constituted a final ruling on whether genocide has occurred.
Häkkänen declined to speculate to Yle on whether Finland could terminate the memorandum if the ICJ eventually reached such a conclusion.
For now, the government argues that its priority is ensuring the functioning of defence systems considered essential for Finnish security. The political dispute is instead likely to focus on whether such technical cooperation can be separated from Finland’s wider foreign policy towards Israel, and on how much parliamentary and public scrutiny long-term defence agreements should receive.
