(JTA) — Norway’s third largest city has passed a resolution calling on its residents to boycott goods and services produced in Israeli settlements.
Passed earlier this month by the Trondheim City Council, the resolution also prohibits the municipality from purchasing goods and services from what it calls the “occupied territories,” The Local Norway reported.
“Illegal settlements are expanding, the construction of the wall continues, Palestinians are subjected to daily harassment and face major obstacles in their daily lives. This is a policy that Trondheim Municipality cannot support,” the resolution says. “The municipality will therefore refrain from purchasing goods and services produced in the occupied territories.”
In 2014, Norway’s parliament rejected a proposal calling for a nationwide boycott of Israeli goods produced in the occupied territories.
The World Jewish Congress on Friday condemned the Trondheim vote.
“Everybody has a right to express views and voice criticism about international affairs of concern. However, in this instance, we notice once again that the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign targeting Israel uses double standards,” World Jewish Congress CEO Robert Singer said in a letter to Norwegian Foreign Minister Børge Brende. “No other country is being made the target of such a hypocritical campaign. Trondheim wants to boycott Israeli goods, and Israeli goods alone, for political reasons.”
