Published on 6/19/2026
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Last update: 15:50 (Mecca time)
The Norwegian government said on Friday that it intends to ban its citizens and companies from dealing in goods produced within the Israeli settlements established on occupied Palestinian lands, in a new step within Oslo’s policy of rejecting settlement and supporting the two-state solution.
The government explained that the proposed draft law includes a ban on import and export transactions of goods with Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, and also prohibits real estate transactions related to them, with consultations on it continuing until September 19.
Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide said, in a statement issued on Friday, that citizens and companies in Norway should not benefit from activities that help or support the continuation of illegal Israeli settlement activity in Palestine.
The Norwegian Parliament is likely to approve the draft law, according to Reuters, which will transform Oslo’s political and legal position on settlements into a direct trade ban on companies and individuals, after the government had previously advised Norwegian companies not to engage in trade or commercial cooperation that contributes to the perpetuation of the illegal Israeli presence in Palestine.
Formal recognition
Norway recognized the State of Palestine in May 2024, in conjunction with Ireland and Spain, and said at the time that the recognition aimed to support the path of the two-state solution, while affirming continued communication with Israel and its recognition of its right to defend itself within the limits of international law.
The Norwegian move comes after an advisory opinion issued by the International Court of Justice in July 2024, which concluded that Israel’s continued presence in the occupied Palestinian territories is illegal, and called for its end. It also addressed settlement policies, land annexation, and changing the demographic situation in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
The United Nations says that the Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories are illegal, and the UN Security Council confirmed in its Resolution 2334 of 2016 that the establishment of settlements in the territories occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem, has no legal legitimacy and represents a blatant violation of international law.
Israel challenges these positions, saying that they are based on religious and historical ties to the West Bank. It also rejected the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice, while Norway and several European countries believe that the continuation of settlement threatens the chances of establishing a viable Palestinian state and undermines any political settlement.
Over the past two years, Norway has hardened its position on Israeli settlers accused of violence in the West Bank, and joined European measures against individuals and organizations, considering that settlement expansion and settler violence represent a direct threat to the two-state solution.
