Norway, along with Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, Slovenia, and Spain, on Friday issued a joint statement expressing concern over the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza and calling for an immediate change in Israel's policy, according to a press release by the Norwegian government.
"We will not be silent in front of the man-made humanitarian catastrophe that is taking place before our eyes in Gaza," the countries said in the statement, noting that more than 50,000 people have lost their lives and warning that many more could face starvation in the coming days and weeks without urgent intervention.
The statement urged the Israeli government to "immediately reverse its current policy," refrain from further military operations, and fully lift the blockade to allow safe, rapid and unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid across the Gaza Strip.
It also emphasized the need to support and enable access for the United Nations and humanitarian organizations, including the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).
They reaffirmed their commitment to a two-state solution and the Palestinian people's right to self-determination, pledging to work within the framework of the United Nations and in cooperation with regional partners to pursue a peaceful and sustainable resolution.
The joint statement also condemned the escalation of violence in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, citing rising settler violence, the expansion of illegal settlements, and intensified Israeli military operations.
It warned that forced displacement or the expulsion of Palestinians "by any means" would constitute a breach of international law and rejected any attempts at demographic change.
Source: www.dailyfinland.fi
