Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Store has expressed the concern of Norway over the status in East Jerusalem, he also added that the status of Jerusalem must be clarified to ensure peace between Israelis and Palestinians, and this can only happen through negotiations.

According to a Norwegian newspaper the minister met with Palestinian officials and the Lutheran minister Moneib Younan on Monday night, and discussed the status in Jerusalem, as well as visiting a Norwegian hospital providing health services to Palestinians who are prohibited services due to Israeli constraints.

Norway and the international community consider the Israeli presence in Jerusalem as a violation of human rights, and the minister expressed that Norway does not condone Israel including east Jerusalem (as stated in a media release).

In another context the minister expressed his full support of the report of Amnesty International, which accused Israel of mass punishment in its siege on Gaza, and violating international constitutions, and asked Israel to end immediately the siege on Gaza.

The minister said that this mass punishment was targeting civilians and the sick and wounded, and was pushing towards extremism, which was obvious to anyone who cared to look.

Aftenbladet, Dagsavisen