Prime Minister Støre´s address to the Storting on the situation in the Middle East

The images we have seen and accounts we have heard have been heartbreaking.

Innocent civilians, from tiny babies to the most elderly members the population, have been attacked, murdered, injured or taken captive, in violation of all the rules, norms and principles of international law.

The scale of the atrocities is shocking.

They cannot be described as anything else than terrorism.

As war crimes.

Norway has condemned the terrorist attack and violence perpetrated by Hamas in the strongest possible terms.

Right from the beginning, we have called on them to halt their actions.

We are making use of every opportunity available to us to emphasise that the hostages must be released immediately.

Mr President,

What has happened in Israel is highly dramatic.

The situation is alarming.

In Israel, the violent attack last weekend is being described as the most shocking in the country’s 75-year-long history.

These horrific events have awakened memories of some of the darkest chapters in the history of the Jewish people.

They will leave deep wounds.

They will have long-term political consequences and a lasting impact on national cohesion in Israel.

Hamas’ acts of terrorism have created a deep sense of insecurity in Israel, affecting not only people’s daily lives, but also their feelings about the future.

Mr President,

Norway’s deepest sympathies are with the people of Israel. We have expressed our solidarity with the Israeli leaders and the Israeli people in these dark days.

Israel is not alone. We stand in solidarity with them.

Israel has a right to defend itself against armed attacks, and to protect its people from violence and threats.

Norway defends this right.

At the same time, we emphasise that the action taken by Israel must be necessary and proportionate.

The response by Israel must be in line with international humanitarian law.

And this means that it must distinguish between military targets and the civilian population.

We can see that the attacks against Hamas in the Gaza Strip are having far-reaching consequences, including deaths and injuries and the destruction of buildings and infrastructure.

It is Hamas that is responsible for the brutal attack on Israeli civilians, not Palestinian civilians, and not the Palestinian Authority.

What is happening now is that the large-scale attack by Hamas is triggering an Israeli response, which in turn is inflicting widespread suffering and hardship on an already hard-hit civilian population in Gaza.

Hamas bears a heavy responsibility for their suffering. And probably saw this coming.

Even so, the Palestinian people must not now be punished for the atrocities committed by Hamas. This would constitute the collective punishment of an entire people.

Our approach will therefore be to work to find a good way to ensure that support and aid to the Palestinian people can be continued.

However, Mr President, I would like to be very clear:

Under no circumstances will Norwegian aid go to Hamas or to institutions controlled by Hamas.

As chair of the AHLC, the international donor group for Palestine, it is important for Norway to stress that Norway’s support for institution building and a two-state solution will remain unchanged.

There are obvious flaws and weaknesses in the Palestinian governance system.

However, with the possible exception of Hamas and their supporters, I do not believe anyone – whether in Palestine, in Israel or in the wider region – would see the complete breakdown of the Palestinian Authority as being in their interests.

Reducing or suspending aid to the Palestinian Authority or halting other humanitarian assistance will only result in further escalation, leading to more radicalisation and making the situation even worse for the Palestinians in Gaza who have had to flee their homes – almost 200 000 people so far.

They have nowhere to go.

Many people have sought refuge in UN-run schools. These are now overcrowded. They are not equipped to help everyone who is seeking shelter, and these schools are also being hit during the many air strikes by Israel.

There is a huge need for medical assistance, shelter, food, water and protection.

And in this situation, Norway will provide humanitarian assistance.

We are trying to get an overview of what is needed, and who is best placed to help.

Several Norwegian organisations that are on the ground in Gaza have indicated that they are planning further efforts. The same applies to the UN and the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.

Mr President,

Israel’s right to self-defence includes the right to take necessary and proportionate measures to prevent the supply of arms and other means of attack to Gaza.

Norway supports this.

However, it is not immaterial how or where such measures are implemented.

The rules of international humanitarian law still apply.

This means for example that consignments of emergency aid must be allowed in.

Norway therefore supports the EU, which has called on Israel not to introduce a full blockade on supplies of electricity, water, food and other goods that are essential for the civilian population in Gaza.

It is vital to maintain access to humanitarian aid for the civilian population in Gaza.

Mr President,

Both the Minister of Foreign Affairs and I are in contact with the Israeli and Palestinian leaders.

I have been in touch with Israel’s President, and talked to Palestinian President Abbas yesterday.

We are maintaining ongoing contact with our colleagues in neighbouring countries and further afield about the situation. We are also in close contact with the UN and the EU.

Our long-standing engagement and presence in the region have enabled us to establish extensive networks, giving us access to the various parties involved.

We are now making active use of these contacts.

We are conveying our unequivocal condemnation of the terrorist attacks – to Hamas as well.

We are urging all parties to avoid further escalation.

We are emphasising the need to respect international humanitarian law, to protect the civilian population and to ensure humanitarian access.

 

Mr President,

There is no doubt that the events we are witnessing are also having an impact on Norway.

Many Norwegian citizens in Israel and Palestine are now in a very difficult situation, and many of them want to come home.

Family members are worried about their loved ones.

Helping them is a top priority.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has established a crisis response team, and around 50 people – as well as our missions in the region – are devoting their full attention to managing this crisis.

We are working hard to find ways of evacuating Norwegians who want to return home.

Many have managed to travel home in the past few days, but it has been difficult to secure seats on commercial flights.

The airports in Israel are still open, but there are far fewer flights than normal at present – and many flights have been cancelled.

The Government is therefore arranging a first flight today to bring Norwegian citizens back home.

The flight is planned to depart from Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv this evening, and the Ministry has sent out a message informing registered citizens that it is possible to travel home on this flight.

The Ministry has also tightened its travel advice for Israel and Palestine.

This is because the security situation is extremely volatile and unpredictable.

We urge everyone to give careful consideration to their own safety when moving around the region.

Norway has advised against travel to Gaza for many years. We have no representation there, but consider the situation to be extremely serious.

The border between Gaza and Israel is closed. The only remaining border crossing between Gaza and Egypt (Rafah) was temporarily closed on Tuesday morning as a result of air strikes.

We are in dialogue with the Egyptian authorities about the possibility of securing an evacuation route from Gaza via Rafah if the border is reopened.

We do not know for certain how many Norwegians are currently in the region, as there is no duty to register.

More than 400 Norwegian citizens have used the travel information portal to register that they are in Israel, and just under 100 that they are in Palestine.

However, use of the travel information portal is voluntary, and we have reason to believe that the actual numbers are higher.

Mr President,

With conflict now unfolding both in Ukraine and in the Middle East, we are seeing a further deterioration in the international conflict landscape.

A further escalation of the conflict between Hamas and Israel could exacerbate tensions between Israel and Iran, and between the US and Iran.

The progress we have seen towards normalisation of relations between countries in the Middle East may suffer setbacks.

These developments give us cause for concern.

The conflict could reinforce existing geopolitical dividing lines – leading to growing friction in relations between Western countries, Arab countries and Russia.

Dealing with this will demand attention and resources.

It could also have negative spin-off effects on the global economy.

And it could further weaken international unity just when we need it the most – to intensify our efforts to tackle the climate crisis and address other global challenges.

Mr President,

Finally, this year marks 30 years since the signing of the Oslo Accords.

Norway has consistently emphasised the need for a political solution to the conflict between Israel and Palestine, and successive Norwegian governments have supported the effort to realise a two-state solution – even in difficult times.

This policy remains unchanged, even though the prospects of finding a path towards peace are anything but bright.

At such a critical juncture, we must not abandon hope or our efforts to promote peace.

History has taught us that a dramatic turning point can become the start of something new. If any opportunities for change arise, we must do what we can to enable the parties to grasp them.

We remain convinced that there is no military solution to this conflict. A peace process must be resumed to safeguard the long-term security of both parties.

The events unfolding now highlight the challenges for both Israel and Palestine resulting from the policies that have been pursued until now.

Both parties have a responsibility to seek diplomatic and political solutions in the best interests of their countries and peoples.

And Norway will make use of all the political and humanitarian tools at its disposal to support such efforts.

Mr President,

I understand that the current situation, with the ongoing war in Ukraine and now renewed violence and conflict in the Middle East, is unsettling for many people.

Many people in our country have strong links and family ties to Israel and Palestine.

For them, what is happening now is particularly painful, generating feelings of frustration, grief and fear.

At a time like this, it is important that we look after each other, and pay attention to the needs of our young. We must treat each other with respect, and we must work together to ensure that all of us who live in this country feel safe and secure and that they belong here.

This is a responsibility we all share, individuals and organisations alike, and we must live up to it in the time ahead.