US, EU say Israel revoking Norwegian diplomats’ status ‘unwarranted,’ not ‘helpful’
Josep Borrell says EU in ‘full solidarity’ with Oslo, after Israel says it will withdraw accreditation of eight Norwegian diplomats who dealt with Palestinian Authority
The United States and European Union on Thursday both criticized Israel for revoking the diplomatic status of Norwegian diplomats who dealt with the Palestinian Authority.
“Norway has a long history of playing a productive role when it comes to engaging with the government of Israel, engaging with the Palestinian Authority, engaging with the Palestinian people,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters at a press briefing.
Norway acted as the facilitator of the secret negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians which led to the Oslo Accords of the 1990s.
“If you look at their role in helping mediate the Oslo Accords, if you look at their role just this year in helping facilitate the release of tax revenue to the Palestinian Authority, they have long played an important role and we think it’s important that they continue to be able to play that role in talking both with the PA and with Israel,” Miller said on Thursday.
“We don’t think steps to prevent them from playing that role are particularly helpful, and we’ll continue to engage with both countries,” he said.
Israel announced on Thursday that it was revoking the diplomatic accreditation of eight Norwegian diplomats based in Tel Aviv who dealt with the Palestinian Authority.
Today, I ordered the revocation of diplomatic status for 8 Norwegian diplomats in Israel who were dealing with Palestinian Authority affairs.
Instead of fighting Palestinian terrorism after October 7th and supporting Israel in its war against the Iranian axis of evil, Norway… pic.twitter.com/ncJGwpqQpY
— ישראל כ”ץ Israel Katz (@Israel_katz) August 8, 2024
According to a statement from the foreign ministry, the dramatic move came in response to Oslo’s recognition of a Palestinian state as well as recent “severe comments by senior Norwegian officials.”
The Norwegian ambassador was summoned to the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem and informed that the diplomats would have their accreditation revoked in seven days and their visas in three months. All eight were given the option to apply for new accreditation.
“There is a price for anti-Israeli conduct. Instead of fighting Palestinian terrorism after October 7 and supporting Israel’s fight against the Iranian axis of evil — Norway chose to award the murderers and rapists of Hamas in the form of recognition of a Palestinian state,” Foreign Minister Israel Katz said in a statement.
In response, Norway’s foreign minister said Thursday that Israel’s decision was an “extreme action that primarily affects our ability to help the Palestinian population,” warning that it would “have consequences for our relationship with the Netanyahu government.”
“We are considering what measures Norway will take to respond to the situation that the Netanyahu government has now created,” Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide said in a statement.
Later on Thursday, Eide said he had summoned an Israeli embassy official over the decision.
European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on Thursday criticized the “unwarranted” move by Israel to revoke the diplomats’ accreditation, saying in a statement: “I strongly condemn this unwarranted decision, which contradicts the spirit of the Oslo Accords and disproportionately disrupts the normal relations and cooperation with the Palestinian Authority.”
“Norway has played a major role in the Middle East Peace Process and in support of the Palestinian population,” he added. Norway, which is not itself part of the EU, is a part of the bloc’s single market, along with Iceland and Lichtenstein.
Borrell said he had spoken with Eide by phone after Israel’s decision and said the European Union stood in “full solidarity” with Oslo.
“Upon my instructions, the Head of the EU Delegation in Tel Aviv has conveyed our position to the Israeli Government,” Borrell said in a statement.
“This is not a bilateral question between Israel and Norway, but one of interest for all those working for peace and stability in the Middle East,” he added.
Norway, along with Spain and Ireland, formally recognized a Palestinian state in late May, in a move that Eide said constituted “a milestone in the relationship between Norway and Palestine.”
Throughout the war in Gaza, Norway has been critical of Israel’s conduct, while affirming Israel’s right to self-defense against the Hamas terror group, which started the war through its October 7 onslaught, when thousands of Hamas-led terrorists invaded southern Israel from the Gaza Strip, killing some 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages.
Norway voted in favor of the October 27 United Nations resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza — alongside the release of Hamas-held hostages — before Israel’s ground offensive even began.
On Tuesday, Norway submitted an amicus brief in support of the International Criminal Court’s jurisdiction in Palestine.
In January, Netanyahu’s cabinet approved a plan to transfer to Norway Palestinian tax funds that are designated by the Palestinian Authority (PA) for transfer to its staff in Gaza, but which Israel has refused to release out of concern that they could reach Hamas.
Following Norway’s recognition of a Palestinian state, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called for voiding the mechanism set up with Norway and on Sunday he ordered the seizure of around NIS 100 million ($26 million) of tax funds meant to be transferred to the Palestinian Authority, saying that the money will be given to the families of terror victims.
On Wednesday, the Ynet news site reported that the Foreign Ministry would end this arrangement with Norway over the issue.
Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.
