LO’s decision to boycott Israel could be difficult for Støre

Labor PartyLabor Party leader Jonas Gahr Støre (left).Photo: Vegard Grøtt / Scanpix .

State spokeswoman, Thor Øivind Jensen, believes that Arbeiderpartiet (the Labour Party – Ap) leader, Jonas Gahr Støre, may have trouble on their hands now that the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions (LO) have decided to support a boycott of Israel that Støre himself opposes.

An international, economic, cultural, and academic boycott of Israel was voted through by LO on Friday, supported by 193 against 117 votes.

Both the government and the Ap-leader, Jonas Støre, quickly criticized the decision, which the LO leadership were opposed to.

Researcher and associate professor of political science at the University of Bergen, Thor Øivind Jensen, said to Vårt Land newspaper that the LO decision could get tricky for Støre if he becomes prime minister after the autumn national election.

‘If Støre gets into a position of leadership, he’d rather avoid the political controversy, and stay out of the boycott’ said Jensen.

He pointed out that it doesn’t appear very democratic if popular decisions voted into policy by both consumers and trade unions are becoming a problem for the Ap’s leadership. LO represents 900,000 members, more than a quarter of the working, adult population of Norway.

 

Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today