Oslo, Jan 19, 2010 -- It is easy to understand why many Israelis view Norway as a hostile entity, an opposition leader from Oslo told Haaretz ahead of the Norwegian foreign minister's visit to Israel today.

"Instead of saying there's no problem, Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Store should listen to the concerns of the Israeli side regarding the Norwegian government's attitude to Israel," said Hans Olav Syversen from the Christian Democratic Party.
Syversen is in charge of foreign policy for Norway 's sixth largest party, and leader of the Norwegian parliament's "Friend of Israel" group. His party's youth division is sending a delegation of 12 young political activists to visit Israel at the same time as Store. The Norwegian foreign ministry said Store "wishes to continue his dialogue with Israeli politicians about the Middle East peace process... Various bilateral topics will also be raised [during the visit] in order to further develop our relations."

Syversen listed a string of recent incidents that have mired relations, including deliberations in November at a leading Norwegian university on boycotting Israel and Store's recommendation in December of a book which accuses Israeli troops of premeditated mass murder in Gaza .
Other discordant voices came following the November appointment of Ingrid Fiskaa from the Socialist Left Party as deputy minister. In 2008 she told a Norwegian paper she wished the United Nations would fire missiles at Israeli targets. In September Norway 's finance minister announced a major Norwegian pension fund would divest from Elbit Systems due to the manufacturer's involvement in the construction of the West Bank separation fence. Last January, a Norwegian diplomat serving in Riyadh compared Operation Cast Lead to the Holocaust.

Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman has accused Norway of adopting a "hostile stance" on Israel .

"There are certain circles in academia and media with negative views on Israel , but this does not reflect the majority of Norwegians," Syversen said.

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