Israel summons Norway envoy to protest divestment from arms firm

Not strange perhaps that many here didn't know that the 36 million NOK in Elbit stocks was merely 1% of of the total involvement in Israely companies. But your FM should perhaps checked things like that. And perhaps also the list of companies "blacklisted" by the pension fund should suggest that this certainly is no crusade against Israel. And then again if Lieberman dislikes Norway why would he like to have our investment in Israely companies?

AP, SV, SP won the election, So Kristin Halvorsen will still be minister of finance ;)

Before you throw around the word quisling describing the Norse, it is worth noting that Vidkun Quisling was executed less than six months after they got their hands on him.

Israel-Jordan: the agreed upon border was set to be the Jordan river. The Jordan-Israel Peace Treaty was signed on October 26, 1994. So far, the anti-terrorist barriers in Gaza and in Judea/Samaria have served there purpose very well. They continue to save lives in Israel, Arab lives included. Their technologies were developed so much they are produced for exports to the world. Neither Norway nor the ICJ had much issue with the barrier around the islamist entity ruling in Gaza. Norway's ambassador to Israel confirmed the step was a political half-measure for internal consumption before the upcoming general elections in Norway. Translation, not permanent and not irreversible.

Peter, A fourteen judge panel in 2005 said the barrier failed to meet the requirements as a security barrier as over 80% percent of it ran deep inside the Palestinian territories territories instead of along the Green Line. Thus Israel can't build a security barrier in the Palestinian peoples' backyard and call that their right to begin with. There are territorial rights which must be observed. Yet the part that made me LOL was when the justices pointed out an illegally placed barrier cannot protect illegally placed settlements and settlers which are in violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention also. Hence the wall must come tumbling down. Cheers! Dutch

The boarder "fence" is illegal according to international law. Not because Israel buildt a wall, but because Israel placed large parts of the wall on other peoples land. Norway`s savings should not be used to support investments in illegal activities. Build a wall on pre -67 boarders and Israel will have the worlds support. Best regards

requirements.Israeli leaders have never claimed it to be the border. It stopped Arab suicide bombers now their fellow travellers cry out.Where were they when the Israeli civillian targetting suicide bombers were coming across regularly? Fellow travellers useful idiots and haters.You do not like consequences do you?

GF: "They are simply misinformed on the '"legality' of the security fence/wall, and other totally hollowed out cheap sloganeering," Norway has explicitely stated that it has divested itself of these stocks because of the advisory opinion of the ICJ, Gabor. That's why Israel has suddenly muted its response i.e. its normal attack-dog manner would have inevitably brought that ICJ advisory opinion back to the forefront of public discourse. And Israel most definitely does NOT want that to happen, because it contains some home truths that Israel does *not* want discussed in public. Israel much prefers that people like you remain "totally misinformed" by its own hasbarah propaganda spin, and not by the sound reasoning of that court.

BJ: "Norway was the main supplier of Heavy Water to the Nazi`s, which they required in their pursuit of the Atomic Bomb." Mind you, Norway was ALSO under the belligerent occupation of the Werhmacht, so its not as if Hitler actually asked them for their assistance... But, still, if you can get an Int'l Court of Justice advisory opinion saying that nobody can assist Norway in supplying heavy water to Adolf Hitler then - no question about it - I'll support any country that acts upon that. So off you go, BEN. The Peace Palace, The Hague, Netherlands, Europe, if you aren't sure where to start...

It's clear that most of these people who so fiendishly hate Israel on these pages have neither rational thought nor moral decency at their side. The only thing they can is hate, and it's showing. It's obvious from the replies. They are simply misinformed on the "legality" of the security fence/wall, and other totally hollowed out cheap sloganeering, which, thanks to overuse by far-left media/"University"/"intellectual" elites, have lost all meaning. Israel is well within its rights - posturing and false interpretation of the law notwithstanding. Norway's act is of course on one hand shameful but on the other it made an ass of itself and lay itself open to ridicule in the eyes of non-biased rational people. As I said people here cannot tolerate if others, in this case, me, call their attantion to their misinterpreation on the letter of the law - there are no prohibitions of Jews living in Judea and Samaria according to the 4th GC. Mantra never had much value.

They'll be supplying Heavy Water to every loonie that wants to build a Nuclear Bomb, just the way the did to the Nazi's in WW2

Norway was the main supplier of Heavy Water to the Nazi's, which they required in their pursuit of the Atomic Bomb

HOORAY FOR NORWAY!!

the 16th century, inside inner Mongolia, to protect China from the nomadic "barbarians" to her north, who would overrun empires deep into central and southern Europe, Turkey included, but not China. The Great Wall preserved Chinese civilization, until modern barbarians arose again in the 20th century, bent on destroying the modern State of Israel. Those who attack Israel and lose their wars, end up paying by having the wall built closer to their homes. ICJ can not change the lot of aggressors who lost their wars, can not change the basic laws of nations.

It is a crime to protect Jewish life according to the Norwegians.

Our dear Norwegian Quisling friends sent their Jews to the gas chambers. Who needs friends like these.

Israeli civillians.? Where were all the outraged posts from the hypocrits who feign a humanitarian agenda

Hopefully other countries follow suit. Israel has been hijacked by fascists, no other country in the world would get away with such atrocities.

Let's be clear, it's not about the right to build a fence, question is ... would the fence be just as effective as now if it was built on Israels land ? and not cut through palestinian land ? After all Israels high court have themself said it is built on palestinian land so why not just move it abit ?

It is surprising that the laws of Norway ever permitted the investment in a criminal enterprise which is what the the wall is under international law. All nations should explore both public and private investment in enterprises that participate in illegal activities under there own statutes and those international laws that they are a party to. The law is not just for drug pushers. This is basic. No country should allow participation in that which it deems illegal or is obligated by treaty to deem illegal. How much more fundamental can you get? To do otherwise is to be criminal by definition.

May the rest of the world follow in Norway's footsteps until Israel ends the occupation and returns to the 1967 line.

The world is running out of patience for the racist, apartheid, failed policies of the new south africa called Israel. Norway and New Hampshire College are leading the way. Israel will continue on it's path of failed policies and apartheid ignorance into isolation and sanctions. Bravo Norway ! We salute you !

Israel is a Sovereign state. "It is always funny to hear some pro-Israelis demand that the Palestinians and the rest of the world recongize Israel or that "Israel has the `right` to live within secure borders" Indeed...while Israel lives outside it's borders... "when the truth is that Israel has no defined borders" Not so, Israel's territories were defined by what it accepted and declared sovereignty over May 1948.

While the stock market has collapsed and stocks plumeted, my TEVA stock has done fabulously in the past two years, since I purchased it.

I know that Norway is the little brother (politically) that got pushed around a lot from Sweden and Denmark. And I can see how it would be rooting for the Pals. But the conversation is really about ethics. Don't you think a wall is more civilized than to allow suicide bombers through to kill people? Depends if their Jews, right?

moSES SHOULD HAVE TURNED RIGHT. tHATS WERE THE OIL IS.

BDS will end the colonial racist zionist entity like in South Africa before. Ik takes some time but it will end. Be sure of that

MdM: "The Palestinians do not respect the territorial integrity of Israel, and they never have." Since 1993 the Palestinians have offered to "respect the territorial integrity of Isreael" within the Green Line, if Israel would only agree to do the same. Israel refuses to reciprocate, because it wants to expand its territory. MdM: "Can you provide a single good reason why Israel should respect that of the Palestinians?" Because the Palestinians are a stateless people, while Israel is a sovereign state. "Sovereign states" are held to a higher standard than "stateless people" i.e. the former is beholden to int'l laws and int'l treaties in ways that the latter are not. Sorry, but that's the way it is, Murray. And if YOU think that is unfair then the solution is obvious: let the Palestinians have their own state, and then you can hold THAT STATE to the same standards as the state of Israel. But until then your question is pure ignorance.

That no matter how much Israel wants to wish, wish, wish it away that ICJ Advisory Opinion is still out there. And it's still a potent weapon for any country to use against Israel's occupation of the West Bank. All it takes is for that country - any country, really - to finally make the decision that Israel needs to be hit with financial sanctions. And all they have to do to justify that decision is to pick up the Advisory Opinion, thumb to the back page, and say: "Hmmmm, sage advice, indeed. I think we had better heed it, don't you?" And from that moment that country is immune to any protests from the Israeli director general of the Foreign Ministry, because all it needs top do is hurl a copy of that opinion over the table to that Israeli flunky and say: "It's all in there, sunshine".

Bad neighbors risk having fences built on their "own land."

Israeli and Arab workers. A very reliable and serious company. The spin off is remarkable and the work with former general officers of the norwegian forces. They did an excellent job. But the political side is an other story. This part of industry will pay an heavy price in the future. Best friends, but I will not work for you. It is just the beginning, Sorry for Elbit.

The Palestinians do not respect the territorial integrity of Israel, and they never have. Can you provide a single good reason why Israel should respect that of the Palestinians?

Israel should go out of territories,release the Palestinian people from Gaza,comply to international norms instead of making ridiculous protests.

You're wrong on several counts. First, the wall is built mostly on Palestinian territory and divides Pal villages and Pal farmers from their lands. It is a means of theft, harassment and persecution. If it were on the green line, it could possibly be defended, but not at its current location. The Palestinians have built substantial infrastructure, much of which has been maliciously destroyed by the IDF. They have fine universities and crowded cities. This "built nothing" nonsense is just a continuation of the false propaganda espoused by Israel to rationalize stealing.

Very well said. It is a fact that they are singling Israel out while giving a free pass to the real human rights violators. Thanks.

.... for they shall see God. Matthew 5:8 If only our American leaders were pure in heart...

Careful, careful with showing off your "knowledge" Mike. I doubt you'd find anything in the dictionary, should you look for ''quesiling.'' Perhaps you were refering to Prime Minister Vidkun Quisling, who was appointed by the German occupying forces (not by the Norwegian people) and subsequently tried for treason and executed?

Does Norway invest in Iran, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, etc where women who have been raped, are put on trial for adultery? What about China where Tibetans are denied their religious and other rights? The Falun Dong, etc., etc. What about Russia where journalists that show the government for what it is, are murdered? There are hundreds of examples and I am confident that the Government of Norway has been very selective.

Let's put things in perspective. The article mentions that Norway's pension fund is invested in 41 Israeli companies. That's pretty good. Let's face it, Elbit does build some devices that actually kill people, and as a whole the defense industry is about as ethical as tobacco companies. While it's clear that some Israelis are upset, I'm sure that some tobacco farmers would be upset when Norway boycotts them. So let's all relax.

Well said! Nice to read that not all Israeli citizens support the politics of their government blindly!

Congratulations, Norway! Everyone knows that the so called "security fence" is illegal and that its real purpose is to grab more land from the West Bank. Otherwise, it would follow the green line.

Just so we are clear on the "moral superiority" of the Norwegians, these are the folks who ignore the international ban on whaling, despite the fact that they have huge oil reserves providing a very high standard of living. As for their investmetn in Elbit, please note that they sold the shares following a huge rise in the shares' value (because Elbit is a well-run and profitable company). I assume that they will donate that income to the ICRC or something? It is ill gotten booty after all. They wouldn't want to profit on "the fence/wall". It would be immoral. (Don't hold your breath.) Finally, lets all keep in mind that while the separation fence/wall has gotten a lot of negative attention, the reality is that it has reduced Palestinian and Israeli deaths, and no one has provided an alternative solution that is superior, so please feel free to make recommendations for alternatives that you believe will protect life and limb.

Do your homework! The wall's purpose is to grab land. Want a wall? Build it on the green line!

So anti semitic Norawy Politicians and Sweden Disinverst in Israeli companies.Good for them. The Chinese and Indian Governments are just waiting to invest and make deals with israel and Israeli companies.It is the US that had been blocking many of the transactions like the sale of electronics for air to air missiles to China,Radar and missiles to India and nuclear knowhow to India. By Edward Cody Washington Post Foreign Service Tuesday, June 28, 2005 BEIJING, June 27 -- China Accusing the US of "carping" and "outside interference,"China issued a sharp complaint Monday after Israel cancelled a controversial Israeli-Chinese arms deal under pressure from the United States.The Israeli decision halted the sale of drone aircraft capable of seeking out radar installations.The Israeli government's decision is similar to its cancellation in 2000 of a $1 billion deal to sell Phalcon early warning radar planes to China.US,Europe are fading.We'll trade with China,India.Keep your Arab vote

If you want a fence, build it on your own land, not on the neighbour's land. That is called land grab.

The wall saves lives and that?s all that there is to it. The wall?s location is irrelevant since lives saved are much more important. Since the wall was built there where very few terror attacks from that area ? mission accomplished and the government of Israel has done what it is obliged to do: protect the lives of Israeli citizens. Funny that people here are so concerned about Israel breaching some international law since as much as I know terror is against the international law and therefore Israel did not break the law. The ?Palestinians? waved their rights by attacking innocent civilians.

The fence is a land grab. If it were to protect Israelis it would be on the border. End of story.

"Good fences make good neighbors." Yes, but not if one neighbour builds his fence on the other neighbour's land, stealing 10% in the process. Try looking at a map.

"You guys have nothing against a border between US and Canada but insist that there should be no border between Israel and Palestinians?" The separation wall is not meant to be a border -- says the government of Israel.

You use the BBC as a "factual" source on occurences in the Middle East? Explains your ignorance, or probably more so, you Antisemitism. Please explain why the BBC spent over 200000 pounds trying to quash an internal investigation which proved that it was a biased and Antisemitic tabloid? http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-444074/BBC-pays-200-000-cover-report-anti-Israel-bias.html

Fixer.. Maybe you didn;t realize that all these walls that you mentioned exist within the proper borders of the state. Either you do not understand the issue here or you are using your 'selectively convenient' understanding!

You guys have nothing against a border between US and Canada but insist that there should be no border between Israel and Palestinians?

However, I am afraid that the Dutch implement their ethical codes more with their mouth then with their wallet.

The People of Norway are sick of these left wing bastards as well Norway is going to the polls on Sep 14th and things are looking like there are big changes happening. If all goes well the new Goverment with the Progress Party in the lead will be Extremely pro Israel/USA and far more Capitalist. Have faith

the whole occupation business will get worse as the western world sees this as a human rights issue. attempts are being made to deflect critcism of the occupation and anti-semitism will cannot work forever. israeli does not want have only one ally moldova. so far we have written off the uk, norway, sweden, obama and may be the us

Hopefully, this wil be the beginning of a general divestment of European and global investment in Israel. Israel can build all the walls it likes, but the rst of the world does not have to support this illegal and immoral act.

... but Lieberman with his literary taste surely must be thanked for contributing to this somewhat belated decision as well as for other closing doors of the world countries. Now I guess that is not so bad since Micronesia will always keep hers open. I hope the FM will read a book of K. Hamsun when he has all his time after he's convicted for corruption.

First of all, it's not "just a fence". It's a wall. It's seggregation. I was really happy to read this article. Go Norway!! And please, stop dissing Norway for this. What they did is commendable. I know noone wants to hear that here. Oh well. Just because people do not support what some people here expect or want does not mean they hate Jews or whatever. Seriously people. It's about ethics. Grow up.

"The country that gave us 'oslo' resulting in thousands of dead Israeli civilians and over 7500 rockets fired at our civilians in the Negev." 1. "Thousands of dead Israeli civilians"? You do include natural deaths, right? 2. Are you one of those posters who alternatively blame Norway (Oslo), Sharon (disengagement) and Hamas (rockets in the Negev)? Think bigger (Inquisition) in the case Spain will follow Norway. 3. With just a little more stretch your narrative could be turned into an immensely more profitable one. Try convincing the world that the 275.000 WB settlers found themselves outside their native Israel because they were fleeing the Negev and rockets.

A wall to separate the two people's isn't that much of a problem, if A) It hadn't been such a blatant land grab B) It had stopped IDF forces from entering Palestine and killing civilians (as 'innocent bystanders' in terrorist raids) So, given these facts, I support the Norwegian action.

The Fixer misses the point; none of these examples he lists involve the illegal annexing of land and resources by a hostile colonial power against a helpless people.

"some of the rest of us (like me) know primarily that other famous aspect of norway during the war" The other famous aspect was represented by a minority of Norwegians, but don't let such facts disturb you ...

Connect to the below link and learn some rudimentary facts about the fence/wall. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3111159.stm

1 usa mexican border 2 saudia yemen border 3 kuwait iraq border 4 a wall separates the catholics and protestants in belfast.the wall stands in spite of a peace treaty 5 an italian town has built a wall to keep out the immigrants from disturbing the italians after sundown. 6 a wall separates communities in baghdad.

careful, careful with your showing off you historical knowledge and your quotes related to ww2. some of the rest of us (like me) know primarily that other famous aspect of norway during the war. the even contributed to our dictionary by giving us, in quesiling, a true shining example of "resistance"

Just to mention that there is no 'Offical' map of Israel. Israel is a 'quasi-nation state' as it has no defined borders. It is always funny to hear some pro-Israelis demand that the Palestinians and the rest of the world recongize Israel or that "Israel has the 'right' to live within secure borders" when the truth is that Israel has no defined borders.

Take a moment and Google a map of the wall and you'll see the purpose of the wall is to annex land and resources to Israel.It's not a "security fence" separating the West Bank from Israel proper. The wall encircles an entire Arab town and cuts through the center of a university. Like all Israeli dealings with Palestinians the WALL is fraught with racism and greed.

This is Norway's loss not Elbit's. Elbit is highly profiatbel providing good returns to investors. so Who cares!!!

If the wall / fence was built solely for the purposes of protecting Israeli civilians, why does so much of it lie within the West Bank and not on the Green Line? Doesn't it strike you as odd that the route of the wall / fence effectively absorbs 10% of the West Bank area within Israel? Do you really believe that this is just about security and has nothing to do with landgrab?

"Why is it every country can protect its borders and citizens but Israel isn't allowed to do so?" -Ori 1. Look at the official map with the 'separation fence' 2. Look at the official map of the State of Israel. 3. Either you or the State of Israel doesn't know where lay the borders of the State of Israel.

Boycott any who divest from Israel. They are against peace. Invest in Israel. Support Peace!

It is obvious that Norway needs a new government. Say no to Kristin Halvorsen and the influence of SV!

All these anti-Norway posts are awfully self-righteous. The truth is, Israel survives only by the good graces of the Western world. Without the European and North American countries' political support, Israel would be deader than if Iran had the bomb. How long can we continue laughing as these vital relationships unravel more and more? The Israeli consul to Boston said it, not me. Maybe we should consider changing something about our behavior, even if we think we are right...

resulting in thousands of dead Israeli civilians and over 7500 rockets fired at our civilians in the Negev.

I expect no less from Sullivan then his/her support for a country that has only last month issued a the country's highest award to one of Hitler's "finest," a proponent of the genocide of all Jews. Thanks for staying out of the closet Yakub. http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1094430.html

This is complete nonsense. If this fence is there to protect us and not to grab palestinian land and isolated villages, then why is it not built over the green line? Nobody could protest then. Israel has not annexed the occupied territories, so international law applies to them. Norvegian do not hate jews or israelis, they hate some facts on the ground. So do I and I am israeli and a jew. Justice has no nationality.

Last February, the French company building the rail line to the WB lost a $4 billion management contract with the Stockholm transit company. Last month, it was Leviev's Africa Israel real estate company that was hit with the divestment because of its real estate work on the WB and today, it's the turn of Elbit because its work has to do with the WB. The boycott is coming down on Israel like a steam roller and nothing can stop it now. 2/3 of the 41 companies in which the Norwegian pension fund has money invested are doing business on the West Bank, so it's only a matter of time before they too get the bad news. Norway will pick them off one by one utntil Israel gets the message. No amount of screaming "antisemitism" will help on this.

And for that very reason, they will be attacked, maligned, spoken of with contempt and slander. Says more about the morality of those attacking Norway then Norway of whom Winston Churchill said about their resistance to the Nazis: "Look to Norway".

Amazing how the world sees protecting its citizens as a human rights violation! Why is it every country can protect its borders and citizens but Israel isn't allowed to do so? Maybe we should use terrorists and car bombs to exist and not be called human rights violations...

If Israel had trillions of petrodollars and produced lots of natural gas and oil, then the standards would be different.

ti-for-tat. We should divest from Norway and their companies and BLOCK all their Donations to the anti-Israel NGOs within Israel and the PA until their current government is replaced by a more sensible one. Norway is NOT in the EU and therefore we have NOTHING to fear as far as subsequent ramifications with the EU. They should also be marginalized by Israel in bilateral and multilateral relations pertaining to Israeli-Arab conflicts. If the Norwegians feel boycotting Israel and its legitimate right to defend its citizens will somehow give Norway a greater role within the peace process, then the above measures will prove them otherwise!

Hopefully other countries will follow suit...

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If they didn't want a wall, they shouldn't have sent in suicide bombers to murder Israeli civilians. They have only themselves to blame. But of course, the ethics of suicide bombing have always escaped the Norwegians.

...Norway, apparently, cares less about the hundreds if not thousands of the life of Jewish civilians saved as a result of the ference... And Norway of course is in good company, together with its neighboring country, Sweden, the place where anti Jewish blood libels are generated...

Its a fence separating two people. Good fences make good neighbors. Even when the Palestinians are physically separated from Israel, so that they can leave Israel alone, they still manage to blame Israel for everything. Countries (like Norway and Sweden) who eat up the propaganda, end up hurting themselves. Israel built a nation in 60 years, the Palestinians built nothing at all except terror.

That's life. It happens. Not everybody has to love you. In the meantime, let's find somewhere else to buy our salmon.