The diplomatic cold shoulder comes against a backdrop of strained relations, most notably Oslo's recognition of a Palestinian state.
(July 16, 2024 / Israel Hayom) Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz has rejected a request from his Norwegian counterpart, Espen Barth Eide, for an official visit to Israel. The decision comes in the wake of Oslo’s controversial recognition of a Palestinian state and its stance on the Gaza War.
The rejection came after the Norwegian Foreign Ministry’s initial attempts to coordinate the visit were met with silence from Israeli counterparts, effectively stalling the process. This lack of response ultimately forced Eide to make a direct appeal to Katz, which was subsequently turned down.
The Norwegian diplomatic overtures, despite the country’s apparent hostility toward Israel in the aftermath of the war against the Hamas terror group, began during last week’s NATO conference.