Norwegian FM warns Netanyahu driving Israel to 'very dangerous place'

Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide warned on Friday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government has driven Israel into a "very dangerous place," describing the coalition as the most far-right administration in the country's history. Speaking to Euronews in Riga, Latvia, he said the current government represents a sharp departure from previous administrations and expressed hope that Jerusalem would recognize its trajectory regardless of the outcome of elections scheduled for October.

Eide characterized the coalition as "the most far-right government in Israel’s history," adding that he expected Israel to eventually acknowledge it had been on a "very dangerous track." His comments reflect growing Scandinavian concern over the direction of Israeli policy under the current leadership.

West accused of 'unprincipled' Middle East stance

The Norwegian minister also condemned Western nations for their handling of regional conflicts, stating that they had "undermined" their credibility through an approach he described as "wobbly, unclear and unprincipled." He argued that disproportionate caution regarding criticism of Israel had weakened the international community's ability to respond effectively to developments in the occupied territories.

"The problem has been that too many countries have been careful in criticizing Israel because you were so easily attacked for being anti-Semitic," Eide said. He noted that this dynamic had pushed the international community toward "less daring positions." The remarks came days after Norway joined 11 other countries in announcing restrictions on trade with illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank — following Oslo's recognition of Palestine in 2024.