Norway's Foreign Ministry has denied President Trump's assertion that the country would host a meeting of his newly formed peace council, clarifying that they are instead planning to host a meeting for the donor group for Palestine.
In a recent statement, U.S. President Donald Trump announced at the inaugural meeting of his peace council that Norway had expressed willingness to host a future meeting of the council. However, the claim has faced immediate repudiation from the Norwegian Foreign Ministry, as reported by public broadcaster NRK. The press spokesperson for the ministry, Ane Jørem, clarified that the reference was actually to Norway's plan to invite participants for an upcoming meeting of the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee (AHLC), which is a donor group focusing on Palestine, scheduled for this spring.
The Norwegian Foreign Ministry's denial highlights the ongoing complexities and sensitivities surrounding international diplomacy and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. While Trump’s peace council aims to address various issues, Norway's involvement is limited as they choose to only participate as observers. This decision reflects Norway's longstanding commitment to the peace process as a facilitator rather than a direct participant in Trump’s initiative, which many international observers view with skepticism.
Furthermore, Norway's role in the AHLC has been well established since its inception in 1993, focusing on aid coordination and humanitarian efforts for the Palestinian territories. The distinction made by the Norwegian officials serves to emphasize the difference between their established diplomatic engagements and the newly proposed, yet controversial, framework set forth by the Trump administration.
