SV leader Kirsti Bergstø believes Israel has committed clear violations of international law in the country’s response to the terrorist attack by Hamas. – The government was very early in condemning the terror against Israel’s civilian population, which SV fully supports. But it is also important to condemn Israel’s war crimes, she says. – We have a civilian population that is locked in, that is denied food and electricity – and that has nowhere to flee. It is important that a humanitarian crisis does not turn into a humanitarian disaster, and the international community must rally around that, says the SV leader. Condemns the actions Now comes the response from the government. Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt says that Norway condemns the blockade of Gaza. – First, I want to be very careful about comparing the situations. Israel has the right to defend itself, but they cannot come up with all possible means, and they have a duty to provide access to food and medicine. If they don’t, it is against humanitarian law, she says. Hamas attacked Israel on Saturday, both from the air and on the ground. Israel has responded militarily, and also strengthened the blockade of Gaza, home to 2 million people. One of the first things the Israeli authorities announced after the attack from Hamas was that they implemented a full blockade of Gaza, and that no food or fuel will be allowed into the area. – What has happened now is that Israel has asked a million people to move. I condemn this blockade, when they ask so many people to move, without access to food and medicine. Having said that, the most important thing is not which words we use, but what we do, says Huitfeldt. The government still supports Israel’s right to defend itself, but specifies that “there are clear rules for how such defense must be carried out”. Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre does not imagine that it is possible to evacuate the one million Palestinians that the Israelis have now ordered evacuated. Støre emphasizes that Norway distances itself from Israel’s evacuation order. – It is a recipe for such great suffering, but enormous humanitarian consequences that we must speak out clearly, he says. Require consistency in the measures 300,000 Palestinians are already on the run. Even more have been asked by Israel to travel south, because a military attack has been announced. – Are more people advocating for condemning Israel? – I think it’s problematic, it’s like condemning Palestine. It is important that we condemn actions, such as the blockade. and then it is the case that some of the military measures here are in accordance with international law, because it is about destroying Hamas’s opportunity to continue the military action, replies Huitfeldt. SV believes that the international pressure on Israel must be even greater. – It is the actions that must be condemned. Israel has the right to self-defense, but there are limits to that. We must consistently stand up for international law. An attack on civilians is illegal anyway. Now we see examples of schools being bombed, water being denied and food not being delivered, says Bergstø.
ttn-69
Norway condemns Israel’s blockade of Gaza – news Urix – Foreign news and documentaries
