Norwegian companies and individuals could face prison sentences of up to three years for trading with Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria under legislation expected to come before parliament this fall, Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide said, according to public broadcaster NRK.
The Norwegian government has proposed prohibiting trade in goods and services with the communities, including construction-related activity. The public consultation on the measure concluded Saturday, and Eide said he expects parliament to approve it.
“Yes, I actually think so,” Eide said when asked whether the legislation would pass this fall.
“The arguments have only become stronger because the situation in the West Bank has become even worse,” he said.
Eide said several other countries are also considering comparable measures. He described the proposed legislation as “the lowest scale of sanctions that can be imposed against the occupation.”
The ban would apply to both goods and services and would also include eastern Jerusalem. Eide said economic activity with Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria is relatively limited, citing wine and certain agricultural products as examples.
“The economic volume is not that large,” he said. “The relevant goods are, for example, wine and some agricultural products.”
The foreign minister framed the proposal as part of a wider international effort to increase pressure over Israeli communities.
“If the largest countries do not stand up for international law, human rights and international law, then the rest of us will have to do it,” he said.
Eide said he expects the United States to respond in a measured manner to countries imposing sanctions on Israeli “settlements”.
His comments came after the United Kingdom recently announced restrictions on the purchase of goods from Israeli communities. France and Canada joined the announcement and said they would also “bring forward national measures to ban trade in settlement goods.”
Norway also joined Britain, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Canada last month in criticizing Israel’s publication of construction tenders for the E1 project linking Jerusalem and Ma’ale Adumim. The seven governments called on Israel to withdraw the plans immediately.
In a joint statement issued, the countries called the decision “unacceptable” and said the international community had repeatedly expressed concern about Israeli construction in Judea and Samaria.
“The E1 settlement will undermine the prospect of the two-state solution by driving a wedge through the West Bank and harming the territorial contiguity of the Palestinian Territories,” the statement said.
The countries warned that continued construction would further damage prospects for peace and Israel’s international standing. They also urged companies to stay out of the E1 tenders, warning of potential “legal and reputational consequences” and possible involvement in what they characterized as serious violations of international law.
