Following Jerusalem’s decision to revoke the diplomatic status of Norwegian officials who were working with the Palestinian Authority, Israel's Foreign Affairs Ministry (MFA) explained on X, formerly Twitter, that Norway has been "extreme, one-sided, and anti-Israel" following the attacks by Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran, Houthis, and other actors.
Regarding the latest decision about Norway, it should be clarified:Israel operates according to the Interim Agreements with regards to representation arrangements vis-a-vis the Palestinian Authority.The policy of the Norwegian government towards Israel since the brutal… pic.twitter.com/hgSOyuXFC5
— Oren Marmorstein (@OrenMarmorstein) August 10, 2024
"The Norwegian government - which only last week chose to support the baseless case against Israel at the ICC, recognized a Palestinian state, and even today, exactly ten months after the largest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust, refuses to recognize Hamas as a terrorist organization - has lost Israel's trust and the special role it has played since the Oslo Accords," the MFA stated.
He said that these policies prevent Israel from trusting Norway as a partner in "dialogue or activity with Israel on the Palestinian issue."
"a one-sided policy is not the way to influence what is happening in our region, and it is certainly not the way to promote any chances for real peace negotiations," the MFA noted.
Israel's decision
The Foreign Ministry informed the Norwegian embassy that diplomats posted to the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah could not reside within sovereign Israel, including Tel Aviv, on Thursday.
Oslo warned Israel that this decision would harm ties between the two countries. "Today’s decision will have consequences for our relationship with Prime Minister Benjamin’ Netanyahu’s government. We are considering what measures Norway will take to respond to the situation that the Netanyahu government has now created,” Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide said.
Eide said that the decision mainly impacts their ability to help Palestinians.
Israel and Norway's relationship has deteriorated since Norway's decision in May to unilaterally recognize Palestinian statehood, believing that such a step in the aftermath of the October 7 Hamas attack gives de facto legitimization to the terror group and its action on October 7.
Tovah Lazaroff contributed to this report.