Precedent from France Opens EU Pathway for Gaza Palestinians

The French National Asylum Court has issued an important precedent-setting decision, stating that a Palestinian from Gaza must be granted asylum. This is based on the court's opinion that the military operations carried out by Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip are now sufficiently severe to be considered a form of persecution.

This sets a legal precedent according to which every Palestinian from Gaza — from infants to Hamas terrorists — is entitled to settle in France. And thereafter, under the Schengen Agreement, they would be able to move freely throughout the EU.

It remains to be seen, however, how many Palestinians will take advantage of this newly opened opportunity and seek to move from Gaza to France — and how many will actually succeed in doing so.

From Israel's perspective, the possibility is extremely tempting, because if moving to France becomes popular, it could be a way to empty the Gaza Strip and repurpose it for use by its own population. On the other hand, this very possibility might limit the willingness of Palestinians to leave the area.

Previous thoughts on the same topic: 
When Demands Become Damage 
Gambling Addiction and the Shadowy Instigator
Western Countries Have Neither a Reason Nor a Need to Accept Asylum Seekers from Syria or Gaza

NATO Sounds the Alarm on Illegal Immigration

Last week at the Hague summit, NATO signaled de facto that illegal immigration is a significant threat to national security. This decision included a provision that allows member states to count border security-related expenses toward the five percent defense spending target.

This marks a substantial shift from the situation and attitudes that prevailed among European political leaders ten years ago, when people from developing countries streamed into the continent without asking for permission, seeking better livelihoods. However, it remains to be seen what kind of measures different member states will actually take.

A crucial factor in this context is the nature of the government in power in each member state. For example, in Finland, almost all politicians condemn Russia’s instrumentalized migration. However, those who arrive independently tend to receive sympathy—especially from the green-left, but also from the liberal right. Thus, Finland's currently tightening immigration policy would change significantly if the public were to elect a government that includes the political left.

The same largely applies to other European countries. And the unfortunate reality is that effective immigration control requires participation from all nations, because under the spirit of the Schengen Agreement, immigrants entering the EU can move quite freely within the area and apply for asylum in whichever country they believe offers them the best advantages.

It is also essential to note that EU countries still lack both a plan and a practical mechanism for how to remove large numbers of people from developing countries from the Union’s territory, should such a need arise—for example, due to an economic recession. And I don’t believe such a plan will emerge for a long time—certainly not on a Union-wide scale.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Expert Statement Highlights Russian Hybrid Threat Over Migration Across the Mediterranean
Human Rights Judge Pauliine Koskelo Questions Asylum Interpretation That Ignores the Threat of Hybrid Warfare
Friedrich Merz Needs the AfD – A Precedent from Finland

Iranian Surge to Finland

The Finnish Wrestling Federation has been seeking a head coach. A total of around 80 applicants expressed interest in the position, of which as many as 50 turned out to be Iranian. This is surprising, even though Iran is among the strongest countries in the world in both wrestling styles.

However, the chairman of the Finnish Wrestling Federation, Pekka Paavola, speculated that not every applicant's motivation is driven by a burning passion for developing Finnish wrestling. Or even for working in wrestling at all.

Instead, he noted, "Iran is certainly known as a country where wrestling is a huge and successful sport, and of course, there are many good coaches as a result. I can't definitively assess their reasons for applying, but perhaps access to the Schengen area is an attraction for some applicants."

This may be hinted at by the fact that some of the Iranian applications were written in Iran's own languages, such as Farsi or Arabic, which naturally gave the recruiters an indication of the applicant's ability to use English as a working language in Finland. Therefore, they are unlikely to secure the position in my northern homeland.

It remains to be seen who will eventually be selected. However, in advance, the current executive director of the Wrestling Federation, Pasi Sarkkinen, can be seen as the frontrunner. Sarkkinen previously served as head coach of Greco-Roman wrestling from 2001 to 2004. During that time, Finland won five senior-level championship medals and its most recent Olympic medal was brought home by Marko Yli-Hannuksela from Athens in 2004.

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