Striking Statements from Norwegian Minister Eide
Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth EideIsrael’s revocation of the accreditation of Norway’s diplomatic representatives to Palestine, he said in an interview with Al Jazeera television, two state solutionHe stressed that it weakened support for the idea. Eide said, “We understand that this stance by the Israeli government does not support the idea of a two-state solution and is aimed at undermining our efforts to achieve this goal. However, since they have failed to offer an effective alternative, “We will continue our fight.”
Minister Eide stated that Norway’s office in Ramallah had to be temporarily closed, and said, “It has become impossible to continue our work here.” Eide described Israel’s move as “radical” and made the following assessment: “Such measures by Israel stem from our support for Palestine, especially in international courts.”
Eide also stated that Israel’s message was directed at both the Palestinians and the international community, saying, “Israel does not support the two-state solution. The world should be clear on this issue and emphasize that there is no alternative that is more effective than “the two-state solution.”
As a reminder, Israel revoked the accreditation of Norway’s diplomatic representatives to Palestine after Norway announced its recognition of the State of Palestine on August 8. Norway had officially announced its recognition of the State of Palestine on May 28. Following these developments, Israel decided to recall its ambassadors in Ireland and Norway, which had recognized the State of Palestine. With Norway making this recognition decision simultaneously with Ireland and Spain, the number of countries recognizing the State of Palestine rose to 146.
