Israel has expelled Norwegian diplomats. What does it mean?

On 8 August 2024, Israel revoked the accreditation of eight Norwegian diplomats serving in the occupied Palestinian territories over what Foreign Minister Israel Katz termed Oslo’s “anti-Israel behaviour”.

Eight days later, Norway was forced to shut down its Representative Office in the occupied West Bank as a result of Israel’s action.

“This decision seeks to target the Palestinians and the Palestinian Authority and all those who defend international law, the two-state solution and the Palestinians' legitimate right to self-determination,” Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide said in a press release.

EU High Representative Josep Borrell condemned the decision to expel the Norwegian diplomats and several Israeli civil society organisations published a statement in the Israeli newspaper Haaretz “[calling] on the government of Israel to reverse its draconian decision…which threatens the Norwegian diplomatic mission to the Palestinians”.

Line Khateeb, leader of the Palestine Committee in Norway, noted Israel’s Foreign Affairs Ministry hasn’t made any changes to Norway’s embassy in Tel Aviv, however.

“They are not closing off any channels between Norway and Israel. They are closing the channels between Norway and Palestine,” Khateeb told The New Arab. “And it's very clear that they want to affect the relationship between Norway and Palestine and weaken the support to the Palestinian Authority.”

Katz explained that the decision was in retaliation for Norway recognising Palestinian statehood and joining the International Criminal Court (ICC) case against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes in Gaza.

Since Israel launched a war on Gaza in October 2023, 11 countries - including Norway - have recognised a Palestinian state.

“An immediate risk for Netanyahu from this growing recognition is that it makes the International Criminal Court more likely to recognise Palestine as enough of a state to join the court and allow the war crime charges against Netanyahu to proceed,” Kenneth Roth, former director of Human Rights Watch, told TNA.

 “The Netanyahu government is shooting itself in the foot and deepening Israel’s diplomatic isolation,” Roth added.

While Norway has thus far faced the most severe reprisal for recognising a Palestinian state, other countries have also not been spared. In May, Katz said he would ban the Spanish consulate in occupied East Jerusalem from providing services to Palestinians living in the West Bank - again, for its recognition of a Palestinian state.

Impacting Norway's diplomacy

According to Norwegian FM Eide, Israel’s decision has direct and immediate consequences for Norway’s work in Palestine - firstly affecting local staff as well as diplomats and their families.

Secondly, the diplomats’ expulsion impacts Norway’s role in peace efforts. Oslo has long played an important part in mediating between Palestine and Israel - most notably with the 1993 Oslo Accords, which sought to establish peace between the two.

“Norway now has more credibility towards the Arabs and other countries,” Khateeb said. “But to speak to Israel or somehow be any mediator with the Israelis, this role is now definitely dead.”

Yet beyond employment and peace negotiations, the crux of the problem lies in what Norway can do for the Palestinian people going forward.

“What it does with Norway’s ability to engage in the Palestinian areas, which has been a focus of Norwegian policy in the Middle East, will become more difficult because they will have less access on the ground,” Jørgen Jensehaugen, a senior researcher specialising in Israel-Palestine at the Peace Research Institute Oslo, told TNA.

Khateeb believes the absence of a physical diplomatic presence may drastically hinder Norway’s relationship with Palestinian rights groups.

“Norway will be less in touch with Palestinian civil society and the PA representatives in Palestine. And that’s what Israel wants to do,” Khateeb said.

For instance, Norway has maintained close ties with leading Palestinian human rights organisation Al-Haq, despite Israel designating it a terrorist group in 2021. Yet now, Khateeb says, Norway will have difficulty supporting the organisation and other civil society actors.

Both Khateeb and Jensehaugen explained that Norwegian funding to Palestine is unlikely to be affected as a result of Israel’s decision, specifically given it is still the chair of the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee, which is responsible for delivering international aid to Palestine.

The move, though, poses the question of how Norway’s Foreign Affairs Ministry will amend its diplomatic mission to Palestine.

Jensehaugen predicts two possible solutions: Norway will work with another state’s embassy in Palestine or will increase its contact points outside of Palestine, such as at Palestine’s embassy in Oslo.

"This is a tactic to try to frighten other countries with regards to recognition of a Palestinian state, but also their engagement in the processes in international law institutions"

“Norway's very well connected with other European countries, so it's typical in a situation like this to find a kind of partner embassy,” Jensehaugen said.

As the Norwegian Foreign Affairs Ministry scrambles to find an alternative solution, Israel’s revocation suggests other diplomats working in Palestine may soon be in a similar position.

“When Israel sees countries being firm [on international law], this is something Israel wants to refute,” Khateeb said.

“This is a tactic to try to frighten other countries with regards to recognition of a Palestinian state, but also their engagement in the processes in international law institutions.”

Jessica Buxbaum is a Jerusalem-based journalist covering Palestine and Israel. Her work has been featured in Middle East Eye, The National, and Gulf News.

Follow her on Twitter: @jess_buxbaum