Envoy calls for Gaza ceasefire, global peace

Norway's Ambassador to Pakistan, Per Albert Ilsaas called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the release of hostages, and safe and unhindered humanitarian access to alleviate the suffering of Gazans. "We must put an end to the escalating violence in the occupied Palestinian territories," he urged, reflecting Norway's commitment to global peace and humanitarian efforts. The envoy’s remarks came at a reception he hosted to celebrate Norway's Constitution Day on Friday, while delivering a heartfelt plea for peace in Gaza. This national day, observed annually on May 17, commemorates the signing of the Norwegian Constitution in 1814 and pays homage to the royal family. The event was attended by up to 450 guests including a distinguished assembly of diplomats, government officials, bureaucrats, the diplomatic community, journalists, civil society activists and notable figures from various sectors of society, all gathered to honour Norway's national heritage. Speaking further on the Israel-Palestine conflict, Ambassador Albert Ilsaas said that the most recent “evidence” of western double standards was Gaza wherein the Western governments failed to express the same concern and outrage over the long-standing Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands and its present actions in Gaza. From a Norwegian perspective, he said that there was regrettably some truth to the contention of double standards in the case of Palestine. “The responses by some Western countries to violations of international law in Gaza and Ukraine have been inconsistent. The horrific scenes from Gaza are at times now used to excuse silence and inaction over Ukraine.” Taking up the Ukraine-Russia war, he said that the Western outrage over Ukraine was not driven by a genuine concern about Ukraine and Ukrainians, or by outrage over the crime of aggressive war and the war crimes or worse, committed by Russian forces. “The West pretends to be outraged, but this war – into which an essentially blameless and benevolent Russian government – was provoked, so the argument goes, suits the West in terms of geopolitical advantage (including NATO-expansion) and to weaken or perhaps even break up Russia. The ambassador said that Russia started the war in blatant contravention of the UN charter and accepted principles of international law, asking Moscow to end the conflict in Ukraine by ceasing its aggression and withdrawing from the Ukrainian territory it illegally occupies. “We also condemned Hamas’ unacceptable terrorist attack on October 7 of last year. But we also, from early on, explicitly stated that the way in which Israel is prosecuting the war went way too far, and we have condemned some Israeli acts like the blockade of Gaza,” the Norwegian ambassador said, adding his country was the first western country to express a demand for a ceasefire at the UN and most recently Norway was a co-sponsor of the UN General Assembly resolution in support of granting Palestine full membership status in the UN. Similarly, Norway also condemned Israel’s attack on Iran’s diplomatic premises in Damaskus last month and the Iranian attack that followed a few days later. Ambassador Ilsaas also highlighted the strong and growing relations between Norway and Pakistan. "Our relations have further developed over the past year through bilateral dialogues on a range of issues and various visits and events," he remarked, underscoring the deepening cooperation between the two nations. He said that both countries celebrated 75 years of diplomatic relations last year and on that occasion Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre highlighted the arrival in Norway of Pakistani migrant workers from 1970 onwards who were the first non-Western immigrant group in Norway, quickly becoming the largest immigrant group in the country. Ilsaas told the participants that this Feb the Norwegian renewables company Scatec ASA successfully launched $114 million 150MW solar plants in Sukkur, saying these plants are generating 300GWh of clean, renewable energy annually to power 150,000 homes. The envoy also lauded Pakistan for extraditing from Pakistan of a Norwegian citizen suspected of involvement in a deadly terrorist attack in our capital, Oslo, in the summer of 2022. Published in The Express Tribune, May 19th, 2024