Israel targets Norway over recognition of Palestine

TEL AVIV

Israel's Foreign Minister Israel Katz said on Thursday the diplomatic status of Norwegian envoys to the Palestinian Authority would be revoked over Oslo's "anti-Israel behavior" since the Gaza war began last October.

"I ordered the termination of any representation on behalf of the Norwegian Embassy in Israel vis-a-vis the Palestinian Authority,” Katz said in a statement.

"There is a price for anti-Israel behavior," the top diplomat added, citing Norway's recent recognition of a Palestinian state and backing of a pending International Criminal Court case implicating Israeli leaders in alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity.

A separate statement mentioned "serious statements by senior Norwegian officials" that the Foreign Ministry viewed as anti-Israeli.

The ministry statement said it would revoke the diplomatic status of "eight Norwegian diplomats... whose duties were to represent Norway vis-a-vis the Palestinian Authority.”

In response to the decision, Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide said that it was an "extreme action" that would "have consequences."

"Today's decision will 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," Eide said in a statement.

In May, Israel ordered Spain's consulate in Jerusalem to stop offering consular services to Palestinians from June 1, as a "punitive" measure for Madrid's recognition of a Palestinian state, Katz said at the time.

Spain, Ireland and Norway had earlier announced their decision to recognize a Palestinian state, drawing a strong rebuke from Israel whose leaders have repeatedly spoken out against Palestinian statehood.

In an official note delivered on Thursday to the Norwegian Embassy in Tel Aviv, the Israeli Foreign Ministry said the envoys' diplomatic status "shall be revoked seven days after the date of this note.”

The note accused Norway of "one-sided policies and statements.”

Moreover, the Israeli Foreign Ministry is working on additional punitive measures the country can take against Norway, which Israel views as being its most hostile critic in Europe, according to several reports.

Recently, Israel recalled its ambassador from Norway (Avi Nir-Feldklein) to hold consultations following Norway's recognition of a Palestinian State, although the Israeli embassy in Oslo is still open.

In another move against Oslo, Israel also stopped transferring Palestinian tax revenues to Norway as “punishment.”

Under interim peace agreements dating back to the early 1990s, Israel collects taxes and customs on behalf of the Palestinian Authority, which administers parts of the occupied West Bank and also helps pay for public services in Gaza.

In January, a settlement was agreed in which Israel transferred Gaza's share of the revenue to a Norwegian-based trust account.

However, on Aug. 7, Israeli media reported that Israel was looking for a new country to guard the funds, after a recent decision taken by Israel's State Security Cabinet, which was kept confidential.

According to local media, Israel, with U.S. assistance, is now pursuing an agreement with Switzerland, to take Norway's place.

The media stated that Israel was using multiple resources to convince Switzerland to allow the confiscated revenues to be held there instead of Norway, adding that Israel's Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer visited Switzerland recently for talks.