Since the rise of the "Labour" Party to power in 2021, the Norwegian government has adopted a critical stance towards Israel. However, following the October 7 massacre, criticism of Israel has intensified to an unprecedented degree, bringing relations between the two countries to a new low.
Now, ahead of the general elections scheduled for September this year, it appears that there is a real possibility of a shift in the relationship between the two countries. "In Norway, there are many people with strong feelings about the Middle East conflict, but this is not an area where Norway has much to do, and there are other countries that are closer to the conflict zone and can contribute more," explained Erna Solberg, former Prime Minister of Norway and leader of the "Conservative Party."
The Conservative Party is the largest opposition party in Parliament, belonging to the right-wing, and according to current polls, is expected to be part of a future center-right government. Solberg noted that the current government's policy has resulted in a lack of diplomatic contacts between Israel and Norway, and few countries have joined Norway's decision to recognize a Palestinian state, indicating that the move has not been effective. "We support a two-state solution for two peoples. Therefore, we do not dispute the idea that Palestine could become a separate, self-standing state, but we disagree with the timing of the recognition of a Palestinian state. When we look at the results of the Labour Party's foreign policy, it is clear that their approach has been poor," she stated.
According to recent polls, Solberg has a good chance of returning to the position of Prime Minister of Norway, a role she held from 2013 to 2021. The Conservative Party, under her leadership, is expected to rise in strength in the upcoming elections, reaching over 22%, while the Labour Party, which represents the political left, is losing a significant portion of its support, dropping by more than seven percent to only about 19%. The leading party in the polls is the "Progress Party" (FrP), which is considered right-wing and is receiving nearly 25% support. This suggests that there is a strong likelihood that the next elections will result in a change of government in Norway, bringing back the neutral policy that previously characterized the country and gave it a special standing in the region.
As mentioned, relations between Israel and Norway are currently at their lowest point since the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries. The person who stood out the most in his criticism of Israel and led the deterioration of relations was Norway's Foreign Minister, Espen Barth Eide. The senior diplomat in the Norwegian government was the one who pushed for Norwegian recognition of a Palestinian state and supported the legal claim against Israel at The Hague. He frequently attacked the Israeli government during the "Iron Swords" war while simultaneously expressing strong sympathy for the Palestinian side's hardships. His actions sparked significant criticism from Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which accused him of being "the only European country that did not sever its ties with the Hamas terrorist organization."
