Zubair Qureshi
From the Norwegian perspective, there is regrettably some truth to the allegations of West’s double standards in the case of Palestine and the responses by some countries to violations of international law in Gaza and Ukraine have been inconsistent.
These views were expressed by Ambassador of Norway Per Albert Ilsaas while giving a welcome speech at a Garden Party he hosted at his residence to celebrate the Constitution Day of Norway. The party was unique in the sense there was no chief guest and to quote the ambassador “each of you is a chief guest for me.’ There was no formal cake-cutting nor photography nor even playing of anthems. However, there was plenty of Norwegian food, Salmon Fish, etc to keep the guests till late hour.
Ambassador Ilsaas without mincing words expressed his country’s stance on both Ukraine and Palestine. He quoted Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide that many capitals [of the west] “have hesitated to use the same type of language against violations of international law [by Israel in Gaza], for instance, that we easily apply when they are violated by Russia in the Ukraine.”
The ambassador however, clarified that for Norway, Ukraine and Palestine crises were not the same given the fact that Hamas started attack on Israel that in retaliation launched a full scale assault while in case of Ukraine, it is Russia that launched an unprovoked, unjust military attack unleashing large-scale catastrophe and bloodshed on the innocent civilians.
Even in that backdrop, the way that Israel has conducted the war has been very problematic and in light of global norms, he said, adding “Yes, there is some cause for concerns about Western double standards.”
It was a pleasant surprise for many to listen to the Ambassador’s candid and frank analysis of the situation in Ukraine as well as Palestine and the west’s response to both.
He not only spoke about the West’s lackluster response to the latter, he also highlighted mysterious silence that has descended on many “non-Western” capitals, including in this region
The horrific scenes from Gaza are at times now used to excuse silence and inaction over Ukraine. This is regrettable, said the ambassador adding “two wrongs don’t make a right.” These are capitals who remain reluctant to call Russia out over Ukraine and ignore the plain truth that Russia started the war in blatant contravention of the UN-charter and accepted principles of international law. Equally plain, it is therefore incumbent on Russia to end the conflict in Ukraine by ceasing its aggression and withdrawing from the Ukrainian territory it illegally occupies.
Norway he said condemned Hamas’ unacceptable terrorist attack on 7 October of last year and at the same time had condemned some Israeli acts, for instance the blockade of Gaza, he said, adding Norway was the first “Western” country to express a demand for a ceasefire, and we have worked actively towards a ceasefire at the UN. On Pakistan and Norway bilateral ties, he said it remained close and robust, and Norway valued them. In December last year, both countries celebrated 75 years of diplomatic relations and Prime Minister, Jonas Gahr Støre, especially highlighted the arrival in Norway of Pakistani migrant workers from 1970 onwards.
In February this year, the Norwegian renewables company Scatec ASA successfully launched 150 MW solar plants in Sukkur, Sindh, said the ambassador adding generating 300 GWh of clean, renewable energy annually, these plants represented foreign direct investment from Norway of around USD 114 million to power 150,000 homes. The federal government, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Embassy of Pakistan in Oslo and the SIFC – as well as the government of Sindh, provided invaluable assistance in getting this exciting project successfully up and running. I would like to express our thanks in this regard, he said.
