Norway, Israel in diplomatic row over Palestine recognition

Norway and Israel have been in a diplomatic dispute for months following Oslo’s decision to recognize Palestine as a state, a move that provoked a strong reaction from Tel Aviv. In response, Israel has taken several measures against Norway and the Palestinians.

Most recently, Israel revoked the accreditation of Norwegian diplomats working with the Palestinian Authority following the decision in late May. Israel also reportedly withdrew and canceled some bank deposits in Norwegian accounts.

“We received a message today from the Netanyahu government that it will no longer facilitate the work of Norwegian diplomats in the Palestinian territories,” the Norwegian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

“This is an extreme act that severely impacts our ability to assist the Palestinians. Israel’s decision to revoke the diplomatic status of members of our embassy is an extreme measure and will have consequences,” the ministry added, noting that it was assessing possible responses to the situation “created by the Netanyahu government.”

Israel defended its actions, citing a “flurry of anti-Israeli and unilateral steps” by the Norwegian government. The Israeli Foreign Ministry stated that Norway’s ambassador had been summoned and informed that the diplomats’ accreditation would be revoked within seven days, with their visas set to expire in three months.

In May, Norway joined Spain and Ireland in recognizing Palestine as a state, followed by Slovenia and Armenia in June. These recognitions have angered Israel, which has vowed to take measures against these countries.

Norway maintains a representative office in Ramallah, in the West Bank, and its diplomats must pass through Israeli checkpoints to reach their offices.

Before the formal recognition, Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre emphasized the importance of maintaining prospects for a two-state solution. “In the midst of a war, with tens of thousands killed and injured, we must keep alive the only alternative that offers a political solution for Israelis and Palestinians alike: two states, living side by side, in peace and security,” Støre said in May.

However, in late June, Israel’s War Cabinet approved measures proposed by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich aimed at “legalizing” settlement outposts in the West Bank and imposing sanctions on the Palestinian Authority. Tel Aviv’s official broadcasting authority, KAN, reported that the Security Cabinet had approved Smotrich’s plan to counter Palestinian statehood recognition and actions against Israel in international courts.

In early July, Smotrich, a far-right minister, threatened to establish a new settlement for each country that recognizes Palestine as a state. Shortly after, Israel’s Foreign Minister Israel Katz rejected a request for a visit by Norwegian counterpart Espen Barth Eide, citing Norway’s recognition of a Palestinian state, its refusal to recognize Hamas as a terror organization, and its support for South Africa’s case against Israel in The Hague.

Palestinians seek to establish an independent state in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip, a goal opposed by Israel. Last month, the Knesset (Israel’s parliament) voted to reject the establishment of a Palestinian state, calling it an “existential threat” to Israel.

In a landmark opinion issued on July 19, the International Court of Justice declared Israel’s decades-long occupation of Palestinian land “illegal” and demanded the evacuation of all existing settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.