– It is completely unacceptable that weapons produced by Norwegian companies could have been used in the terrible abuses against civilians in Gaza, where many thousands of children have lost their lives, says Mads Harlem, who is a special adviser and lawyer at Save the Children. He is looking at a post published by the Israeli army from the fighting inside Gaza. The picture shows Israeli soldiers with what several experts believe are weapons from the Norwegian company Nammo. In several cases, Dagbladet has shed light on the fact that weapons produced by Norwegian companies have ended up in Israel. The matter has also been discussed in the Storting, where both Rødt and SV have demanded an end-user declaration for Norwegian weapons, even for countries with which Norway is allied. – We cannot have a set of regulations where we risk that Nammo’s weapons production contributes to war crimes in Gaza, said MP Sofie Marhaug, from the podium in a debate on the export of defense material. That concern is shared by Save the Children, who now want a guarantee from the government that what they believe to be Norwegian weapons will not be used against civilians in the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. CONCERNED: Harlem says that Nammo has a responsibility to investigate whether their equipment, regardless of whether it has been produced in Norway or in the USA, may have been used for war crimes. Photo: Laik Hanbaly / news Investigated for genocide More than 29,000 Palestinians have lost their lives since the war began on 7 October last year, according to Gaza’s Ministry of Health. Palestinian health authorities do not distinguish between combatants and civilians in the figures they provide. Around 70 percent of those killed are women and children. Israel is being investigated by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague following accusations from South Africa that Israel is committing genocide. ACCUSED OF GENOCIDE: South Africa believes Israel’s warfare in Gaza must be considered genocide. Photo: AP In the complaint, the South African authorities argue that Israel wants to exterminate a significant part of Palestine’s population, namely those who live in Gaza. The Israeli authorities have denied this and have previously called the accusations a “blood indictment”. Wants Nammo-produced weapons news has contacted Nammo and asked for an interview. Nammo replies in an email to news that they do not sell weapons to Israel. news’s question to Nammo: Nammo has been presented with Save the Children’s concerns, but does not wish to be interviewed. Are parts produced in Raufoss sent to Arizona? What do you think about the fact that many people accuse you of having a subsidiary in Arizona so that you can sell weapons with US export regulations? Are weapons you have produced being used in the ongoing conflict in Gaza? An aid package has gone through in the US, which gives Israel access to more money. Do you think they will ask for more Nammo weapons, like the M141 and M72? What do you think of those who believe that Norwegian weapons are used in a conflict that is now being investigated as genocide? The arms and ammunition manufacturer Nammo has its head office at Raufoss in Innlandet. The company also has a subsidiary in the US state of Arizona. There they produce, among other things, anti-tank missiles M72, the same type that is now used in Gaza. – The M72 is a shoulder-fired anti-tank weapon, explains Lieutenant Colonel Palle Ydstebø. He says that only Nammo produces these anti-tank missiles. – It is Nammo that produces it, there is no doubt about that. Whether it is produced in Norway or in one of Nammo’s other factories, I do not know, says Ydstebø. Photo: Gunhild Hjermundrud / Gunhild Hjermundrud Documents from the US Department of Defense, to which the Israeli newspaper Haaretz has gained access, show that in October last year the Israeli authorities also asked the Americans about another weapon produced by Nammo, namely the M141. The M141 is a so-called “BDM” weapon which, among other things, is used against concrete buildings, bunkers and technical vehicles, according to Nammo himself. M141: The M141 is a so-called “BDM” weapon used against concrete buildings, bunkers and technical vehicles. Photo: Nammo The lieutenant colonel says that he is not surprised if the Israelis now want more of both the M72 and M141 from the USA. – The way Israel is now working against Hamas, typically from tunnels and bunkers, these weapons are very effective. -Would it surprise you if Israel asks for more of these from the US? – No, far from it. That’s the kind of weapon the Israeli Defense Force needs right now. Photo of Nammo’s factory in Mesa, Arizona. Photo: Nammo Foreign Ministry: Arms export to Israel prohibited – Norway has a very strict policy when it comes to arms exports to Israel. Much stricter than what the USA and a large number of other countries have, says State Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Eivind Vad Petersson (Ap). He says that Nammo-produced weapons may have ended up in Israel via the US authorities. State Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Eivind Vad Petersson says that the export of weapons to Israel is prohibited. Photo: ISMAIL BURAK AKKAN / news – What has probably happened is that the US authorities and the defense have resold or donated these weapons to Israel. He states that these are not Norwegian weapons, even if they are produced by a Norwegian company in which the state is the majority owner. This is because the weapons currently used by Israeli soldiers have either been produced in Nammo’s subsidiary in Arizona, or have first been sold to the American authorities. This therefore means that US export regulations apply to the sale of weapons. – The Norwegian authorities decide in Norway and in the USA it is the American authorities who decide, explains Petersson. CONCERNED: – It is completely unacceptable that weapons produced by Norwegian companies could have been used in the terrible abuses against civilians in Gaza, where many thousands of children have lost their lives, says Mads Harlem in Save the Children. Photo: Laik Hanbaly / news Believes Nammo has a responsibility Harlem believes that Nammo still has a responsibility, even though the weapons may have been manufactured in the USA. – This in and of itself is not about whether they are produced in Norway. Nammo as a company has a responsibility to investigate whether their equipment, regardless of whether it has been produced in Norway or in the USA, may have been used for war crimes. – Then it is completely subordinate and a complete clouding of the debate to talk about this as Norwegian or non-Norwegian. NAMMO: Photos from the production of the M72 from Nammo’s subsidiary in Mesa, Arizona. Photo: Nammo
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Investigated for genocide – using weapons from Norwegian Nammo – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
