Overview
- Norway’s foreign ministry published a draft bill Monday that would make buying or selling goods and services tied to Israeli settlements a criminal offense punishable by up to three years in prison for individuals or companies.
- The proposal explicitly covers communities beyond the Green Line, includes East Jerusalem, and extends to construction and infrastructure services linked to those settlements.
- The draft is open for public consultation through September 19 and the government expects the Storting to consider the measure in the coming autumn.
- Norwegian officials say direct trade with settlements is small—mainly items like wine and some agricultural goods—so the government frames the move as symbolic pressure, while experts warn tracing supply chains and enforcing the law would be difficult.
- The measure is part of a wider initiative by a group of Western governments and has prompted strong condemnation from the Israeli embassy in Oslo and concerns about diplomatic fallout, community stigmatization, and potential effects on security and humanitarian coordination.