Norway Weighs Up to Three Years in Prison for Trade With Israeli Settlements

Norway is considering legislation that could impose prison sentences of up to three years on people who knowingly violate a proposed ban on trade and business activity with Israeli settlements.

Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide said the government intends to move forward with the legislation, arguing that conditions in Judea and Samaria have deteriorated further since Norway first announced the proposal in June.

The bill would prohibit importing goods produced in Israeli settlements and exporting goods to them. It would also ban the purchase of property in the communities and certain services connected to construction, renovation and real-estate transactions.

Norwegian individuals and companies would also be barred from acquiring or expanding ownership stakes in businesses that have both their headquarters and production facilities in Israeli settlements.

Under the proposal, intentional violations could carry fines or prison sentences of up to three years. Negligent violations could result in fines or up to six months in prison. Attempting to violate the restrictions or assisting another person in doing so could also be punishable.

The legislation would apply even when prohibited transactions take place outside Norway. The government proposes waiving Norway’s normal requirement that an act committed abroad must also be illegal in the country where it occurred before Norwegian authorities can prosecute it.

However, the proposal contains exemptions for humanitarian activities and transactions with sufficient Palestinian connections. For example, Norway says transactions involving Palestinians in eastern Jerusalem would not be targeted simply because they occur in an area covered by the legislation.

Eide said Norway views the settlements as violations of international law and argues that they undermine prospects for a future Palestinian state.

“The arguments have only become stronger because the situation in the West Bank has become even worse,” Eide told Norwegian public broadcaster NRK. He also pointed to similar trade restrictions being considered or introduced by other countries.

Norway joined 11 other countries last week in announcing plans to introduce or consider national and European restrictions on trade with Israeli settlements. The group included Britain, France, Canada, Ireland, Spain and Sweden.

Israel has repeatedly rejected international measures targeting Jewish communities beyond the 1967 lines and has accused European governments of applying discriminatory standards to the Jewish state.

The Norwegian proposal is currently undergoing public consultation, with the consultation period scheduled to close on September 19 before the government moves toward presenting legislation to parliament.