In 1947, Norway voted in favour of the UN's plan partitioning the British Mandate into two independent states, one Jewish and one Arab. Norway also voted for Israel to become a member of the UN in 1949 and established diplomatic relations with Israel in 1950. 

International support for a two-state solution has grown since Hamas’s heinous terrorist attack on Israel on 7 October 2023 and the subsequent war in Gaza. A vast majority of the world’s countries now support a two-state solution where Israelis and Palestinians can live side by side in peace, security and dignity in two independent states. 

A total of 158 countries have recognised Palestine as an independent state. Norway formally recognised Palestine as a state on 28 May 2024. Norway considers it important to emphasise that Palestine is the homeland of the Palestinian people. Like the Israelis, the Palestinian people have a fundamental right to self-determination, and their own state. The territorial demarcation between the State of Palestine and the State of Israel should be based on the pre-1967 borders, i.e. the demarcation line as set out in the 1949 Armistice Agreements, with Jerusalem as the capital of both states and without prejudice to a final settlement on borders, including the use of land swaps. 
 
Norway cooperates closely with the countries in the region through its active diplomacy to promote a two-state solution, for example in the Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, where Norway is spearheading efforts together with the EU and Saudi Arabia. The countries neighbouring Israel and Palestine are playing key roles, and normalisation of relations between Israel and its Arab neighbours is crucial to achieving peace and stability in the entire region. 
 
Since the Oslo Accords of 1993 and 1995, Norway has also chaired the international donor group for Palestine, the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee (AHLC). The aim of the AHLC is to develop the institutional and economic foundation for the Palestinian state based on a negotiated two-state solution. This will require cooperation between Palestine and Israel, and support from the donor countries. Building sustainable Palestinian institutions, strengthening the Palestinian economy and improving the situation for people living in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and in Gaza are key priorities in this context. As chair of the AHLC, Norway has a mandate from the Security Council (Security Council resolution 1860) to coordinate international support to Gaza. 
 
In an advisory opinion issued on 19 July 2024, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) declared that Israel’s continued presence in the occupied territories is in violation of international law and must be brought to an end. Since the conflict between Hamas and Israel started on 7 October 2023, settlement activity in the West Bank has increased; there has been a rise in the number of settlement outposts, an expansion of existing settlements and further seizures of land. Settler violence has also increased. 
 
In a supplementary Advisory Opinion of 22 October 2025, the ICJ stated, among other things, that Israel must to agree to and facilitate by all means at its disposal relief schemes on behalf of the population of the Occupied Palestinian Territory so long as that population is inadequately supplied, as has been the case in the Gaza Strip. This includes facilitating relief provided by the United Nations and its entities, in particular the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), other international organizations and third States, and not to impede such relief. The Advisory Opinion follows a resolution adopted by the UN General Assembly in December 2024 asking the court to assess Israel's obligations under international law in this context. The resolution, initiated by Norway, was adopted with the support of 137 countries. 
 
In recent years, Norway has maintained a high overall level of aid to the Palestinians. This includes support to the Palestinian Government, civil society organisations, the UN, including UNRWA, as well as the World Bank. Norway’s support for Palestine and Palestine refugees in the region amounted to just over NOK 1.8 billion in 2024. Humanitarian needs in Gaza remain enormous, and the scale of destruction is vast. Preliminary estimates indicate that reconstruction will cost at least USD 70 billion. In September 2025, Norway, together with France, Saudi Arabia and Spain, initiated an international emergency coalition to support the Palestinian Authority, which is facing an extremely difficult economic situation. 
 
Education, health and energy are priority areas in Norway’s long-term aid efforts, which are targeted towards building a stronger Palestinian state. This includes budget support for the Palestinian Government. Ensuring respect for and strengthening human rights and gender equality is also important in building a sustainable Palestinian civil society.