The Norwegian Foreign Minister, Espen Barth Eide, has urged nations exporting weapons to Israel to carefully reconsider their involvement, warning of potential legal repercussions for complicity in what Norway deems as Israel’s genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. Eide’s statement underscores a growing international concern over the ongoing conflict and humanitarian crisis in the region.

Despite recent funding cuts from several Western nations, including the US, UK, and Canada, Oslo has affirmed its commitment to supporting the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA). This decision comes in response to Israeli allegations that UNRWA staff were involved in an attack on Israel, with Tel Aviv presenting intelligence documents as evidence linking some employees to Hamas activities in Gaza.

However, Palestinians accuse Israel of fabricating evidence to undermine UNRWA, which is tasked with providing essential aid to Palestinian refugees. Israel’s efforts to discredit UNRWA and push for its closure raise concerns about the broader implications for Palestinian refugees’ rights, particularly regarding their right of return, which has been denied by Israel since the late 1940s despite earlier UN agreements.