ALBAWABA - Israel declared on Thursday that it will take retaliatory actions against Norway after the latter formally recognized the State of Palestine.
Israel has announced that it will no longer allow Norwegian diplomats to work in Israel, after Norway recognizes Palestine state. Israel Katz, Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs, took to X to announce revoking "diplomatic status for 8 Norwegian diplomats in Israel who were dealing with Palestinian Authority affairs,".
"Norway has pursued a one-sided policy on the Palestinian issue and will therefore be excluded from any involvement in it," Katz wrote.
In response, the Norweigan Foreign Ministry released a statement denouncing the punitive measures calling them "an extremist act" that disrupts the help Palestinians need.
Additionally, Israel has halted distributing tax payments collected on behalf of the Palestinian Authority to Norway as a "punishment" for Oslo's unilateral recognition of the Palestinian state and anti-Gaza war stance.
The money in dispute is Gaza's part of the tax earnings transferred to the Palestinian Authority by Israel under the Oslo Accords.
In November of last year, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich refused to transfer Gaza's portion, while the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah refused to accept monies allotted only to the occupied West Bank.
In January, Israel's political-security cabinet approved an agreement that moved Gaza's part of the earnings to a trust account in Norway.
According to Ynet, Norway currently holds around one billion shekels ($260 million) in tax collections for the PA. After Oslo accepted the Palestinian state, Smotrich insisted that the money be returned.
The Israeli government saw the decision as a "punitive measure" against Norway because of its opposition to Israel's war on Gaza, as well as Oslo's failure to object to ICC arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
