Norway’s foreign minister criticizes “extremist action,” saying it will affect the country’s ability to help the Palestinian people.
Israel has revoked the diplomatic status of eight Norwegian diplomats working in the occupied Palestinian territories.
“There is a price for anti-Israel behavior,” Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said Thursday, citing Norway’s recognition of Palestinian statehood and its support for an International Criminal Court case implicating Israeli leaders in war crimes and crimes against humanity as reasons for the move.
The Norwegian ambassador was summoned to the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem on Thursday, where he was informed that the diplomats, all based in Tel Aviv, would have their accreditation revoked within seven days and their visas cancelled within three months.
“This is an extreme act that primarily affects our ability to assist the Palestinian people,” Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide said in a statement, warning that the decision would have “consequences” for its relationship with the Israeli government.
Norway is still considering its response to this situation.
The United States said the move was unproductive and hindered Norwegian efforts to encourage cooperation between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.
“Norway has a long history of playing a constructive role when it comes to engaging with the government of Israel and the Palestinian Authority,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters on Thursday.
“We don’t think taking steps to prevent them from playing that role would be particularly helpful,” he added.
The European Union’s top diplomat, Josep Borrell, also issued a statement condemning the move and expressing “full solidarity” with Norway.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry issued a statement on Thursday referring to “serious statements by senior Norwegian officials” that were considered hostile to Israel.
In an official memorandum delivered to the Norwegian embassy in Tel Aviv, the ministry also accused Norway of pursuing “unilateral policies and statements” since the Hamas-led attack on October 7 in southern Israel that preceded the Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip.
Spain, Ireland and Norway announced their decision to recognize a Palestinian state last May, drawing strong criticism from Israel, whose leaders have repeatedly spoken out against the establishment of a Palestinian state.
Israel reacted angrily, accusing the three countries of “rewarding terrorism” and immediately withdrew its ambassadors from Ireland, Norway and Spain.
Israel also ordered the Spanish consulate in Jerusalem to stop providing consular services to Palestinians as of June 1, with Katz calling the move “punitive” at the time.
In May, ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan applied for arrest warrants against senior Israeli and Hamas leaders for alleged war crimes.
Khan said his office had “reasonable grounds” to believe that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant bore “criminal responsibility” for “war crimes and crimes against humanity.”
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