Norway's Largest Trade Union Votes Overwhelmingly to Boycott Israel
During its national congress held in Oslo on May 8–9, LO delegates passed the resolution with an overwhelming 88% majority.
The resolution mandates a full boycott of Israeli companies and institutions, encompassing trade, investment, and ties with cultural, academic, and sporting organizations linked to Israel.
LO's resolution comes with a warning: if Israel does not end its occupation of Palestinian territories by September 2025, as demanded by a UN General Assembly resolution, LO will urge Norway to spearhead a global economic boycott.
Newly elected LO President Kine Asper Vistnes confirmed that the union will now begin outlining how to implement the motion.
'We'll sit down and go through how to implement all the congress resolutions,' Vistnes told FriFagbevegelse. 'It's too soon for a detailed plan, but we will follow up.'
Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide, while acknowledging the growing international call for sanctions, cautioned against a unilateral national boycott.
'I have warned against a one-sided Norwegian boycott,' he told FriFagbevegelse. 'Norway does not have a tradition of acting alone. A solo move may cause more harm than good.'
Still, Eide emphasized the government's respect for institutional independence. 'It's not up to the government to decide what free academic or cultural institutions believe,' he added.
The decision has received strong support from left-wing political factions. Socialist Left Party (SV) leader Kirsti Bergstø called the vote 'a historic mandate' and urged the government to divest the state's Oil Fund from Israeli-linked companies and halt trade with businesses complicit in human rights violations.
'LO understood the gravity of the moment,' she said. 'The grassroots stood firm against pressure and showed true solidarity with the Palestinian people.'
The resolution was also praised by Shaher Saad, Secretary-General of the Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions (PGFTU), who attended the congress.
According to Palestinian news agency WAFA, Saad urged Norway to end the use of its Oil Fund in support of Israeli settlements and called on global labor movements to take similarly bold action.
The Red Party (Rødt) echoed the praise, describing the vote as 'historic.' Party leader Bjørnar Moxnes said Rødt will introduce new proposals in Parliament to reflect LO's resolution.
These include divesting Oil Fund investments from Israeli entities, banning business activities connected to Israeli settlements, and imposing a broad arms embargo on Israel.
Rødt has already tabled a proposal to halt all Norwegian arms exports to Israel and called for mandatory end-user declarations to ensure military equipment is not used in occupied territories.
A pivotal vote in the Norwegian Parliament on the Oil Fund's investment mandate is scheduled for June 4. Both SV and Rødt have pledged to introduce motions aligned with LO's demands, and are now urging the ruling Labour Party to take a definitive stand.
With only 60 out of over 300 delegates voting against the resolution, the LO congress has delivered one of the most resounding calls in Europe for economic accountability over Israel's ongoing occupation.
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