ELNET hosted the first-ever joint delegation of Finnish and Estonian parliamentarians to Israel.
On their first day, the delegates were briefed by Lt. Col. (res.) Peter Lerner, who described Hezbollah’s multiple infiltration attempts just one day after the October 7 attacks. Mr. Lerner also described Iran’s strategy of creating a “ring of fire” around Israel through its proxies: Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen. The delegation then travelled to the northern city of Kiryat Shmona with a senior IDF officer. They inspected various parts of the city and witnessed the devastating impact of Hezbollah’s daily strikes, including damage to a kindergarten.
The delegates also visited Majdal Shams, a Druze village, hit by a Hezbollah missile that killed 12 children in the middle of a soccer game. They met with the village’s mayor and the families of victims, who shared their heartbreaking stories.
Day two focused on Israel’s innovative approaches to security and trauma recovery. The delegates met with Ilan Mazushan, Deputy Director of Policy at the Ministry of Defense, who explained Israel’s defense policies and strategies. After the Ministry of Defense, the MPs attended a meeting at the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, where they heard the poignant story of a father whose two sons are still held by Hamas in Gaza.
Over lunch, the delegation met with Tomer Tzadik, a survivor of the Nova Music Festival massacre. His powerful story offered a personal perspective on the challenges faced by survivors. This was followed by a meeting with Professor Eyal Fruchter, a world expert in trauma and mental health, to discuss Israel’s innovative approaches to recovery and resilience.
Delegates then had a meeting at the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS), Israel’s leading think tank. There, Sima Shine and Arkady Millman provided an in-depth analysis of the Iran-Russia alliance and its implications for Europe. The day concluded with a dinner in Jerusalem and a briefing by Emmanuel Nachshon, a former senior Israeli diplomat and an advisory board member of ELNET-Israel, and by Dr. Emmanuel Navon, CEO of ELNET-Israel.
The final day of the delegation began with a visit to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where Ambassador Zvi Vapni, the upcoming Israeli Ambassador to the Netherlands, shared his insights on Israel’s diplomatic priorities. At the Knesset, the parliamentarians then engaged with coalition and opposition MKs.
This historic delegation left a lasting impression on the Finnish and Estonian MPs, and will help strengthen ties between Israel and those two important European countries.