Israel accuses norway of ‘giving legitimacy to an unreformed extremist’
Compiled by Daily Star staff
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
A year-old diplomatic boycott of the Palestinian government splintered Monday when Norway’s deputy foreign minister met Prime Minister Ismail Haniyya in Gaza and Italy’s foreign minister called Haniyya in a show of support. The United States and European Union, meanwhile, withheld final judgment Monday on the new Palestinian government after a conference call with the “Quartet” of Middle East peacemakers.
As the new government began the formidable task of persuading the world to accept it, Hamas’ military wing took responsibility for a shooting attack that wounded an Israeli civilian near the main cargo crossing between Israel and the Gaza Strip.
Speaking before the attack, Norway’s deputy foreign minister, Raymond Johansen, said he hoped other states would follow his country’s lead and recognize the new Palestinian coalition.
Norway, which is not a member of the European Union, restored full relations with the Palestinian Authority after the formation of the new government on Saturday.
“We hope that this unity government will work hard in order to fulfill the expectations from the international community,” he added.
Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev accused Norway of “giving legitimacy and recognition to an unreformed extremist.”
At a joint news conference with Johansen, Palestinian Foreign Minister Ziad Abu Amr praised Norway’s “daring position” in being the first European country to fully recognize the new government.