Last week’s meeting between King Harald V and the newly installed Palestinian Ambassador to Norway means that the Scandinavian country will be dealing directly with what it sees as the ‘State of Palestine.’
Ambassador Marie Sedin’s formal presentation of her papers to the King will lead to the establishment of a full diplomatic mission in Oslo. Norwegian officials call this “a gesture of goodwill and a commitment to supporting Palestinian self-determination.” Paradoxically, they are dealing with the ‘State of Palestine’ and advocating a ‘two-state solution’ which, hypothetically, would create a new Palestinian state.
In 2024, Israel said that such recognition “awards a golden medal to Hamas,” fueling further extremism and further jeopardising peace in the region. Regardless, Norway has now joined Slovenia, Spain and Ireland—among others—in building on its recognising Palestinian statehood by moving to full diplomatic relations.
Late last year, Jews in Norway reported facing increased hostility in the aftermath of the October 7th pogrom.
