The Foreign Ministry reacted in low key to the Norwegian declaration that Yigal Eyal is persona non grata. In an official communique the Foreign Ministry said it accepted the Norwegian announcement with regret. The Israeli statement was interpreted here as a clear attempt on Israel’s part to keep things down, and not to worsen the relations between the two countries.
This line was also expressed by Israel’s Ambassador to Norway, Yitzhak Keenan. He told an Israel Radio reporter that despite the Norwegian announcement his relations with Norwegian officials continued to be very good.
Foreign Ministry officials said they could not recall any previous case involving the expulsion of an Israeli diplomat from a Western country. There were, however, expulsions of Israeli diplomats from East European countries, but usually in connection with a general break in relations, and not as a personal act against the diplomats. The last expulsion, they recalled, was that of Israel’s Ambassador to Uganda, Dan Leor, when Uganda broke relations with Israel less than a year ago.
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