Norway Advances Bill to Ban Settlement Trade and Expand Criminal Liability

Norway’s government has announced it is moving forward with legislation that would ban trade with Israeli settlements in Judea and Samaria and make importing or exporting goods produced there a criminal offense. The proposal also bars Norwegian citizens and companies from buying real estate in the settlements, providing construction-related services, or acquiring companies whose main operations are based there.

Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide said the move is rooted in the government’s view that the settlements violate international law. In his words, they “contribute to displacement, violence and a situation that makes a peace solution impossible.”

The bill is aimed at restricting direct economic ties with the settlements and would expose violators to criminal liability if approved. The article does not specify a vote date or the next parliamentary step, but says the government is actively promoting the measure.