Knut Arild Hareide said United States President, Donald Trump’s timing is problematic, but party colleague, Hans Fredrik Grøvan, said Norway must reassess the question of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
‘The clear starting point is to recognise a country’s choice of capital,’ said Kristelig Folkeparti (KrF) Chairman, Knut Arild Hareide. However, he emphasised that KrF is clear that changes in status should not be made an obstacle to peace in the region. He is concerned about Trump’s timing, which he called ‘problematic’.
‘Making a decision about Jerusalem’s status beyond the framework of a comprehensive peace solution could lead to turmoil throughout the region and, at worst, become devastating to the work of reconciling the peace process,’ Hareide said.
KrF’s Hans Fredrik Grøvan, who heads the Association of Israel’s Friends in parliament, said in advance of Trump’s speech that an American acknowledgment of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel may make it appropriate for Norway to reassess.
‘If the United States is doing this now, and other countries hold back, this should also have consequences for Norway’s assessment of the issue,’ said Grøvan.
Both Grøvan and Hareide argued that KrF basically want the Norwegian embassy to be moved to Jerusalem, but that timing would be crucial.
‘KrF will monitor developments closely, also in view of our wish that the Norwegian embassy should be moved to Jerusalem as soon as this can be done in a manner that does not hinder the peace process,’ said Hareide.
NTB Scanpix / Norway Today
