September 3, 2009

JERUSALEM (JTA) — Norway divested from an Israeli company that supplies surveillance equipment for the security fence.

The Foreign Ministry summoned the Norwegian ambassador to Israel following the announcement of the decision Thursday to remove Elbit Systems, an optics and electronics manufacturer, from its pension fund. The pension fund is invested in 40 other Israeli companies, Ha’aretz reported. The shares were sold before the announcement, the Jerusalem Post reported.

“We do not wish to fund companies that so directly contribute to violations of international humanitarian law,” Norwegian Finance Minister Kristin Halvorsen said Thursday.

In 2004, the International Court of Justice ruled that the security fence violates international law.

The pension fund, managed by Norway’s central bank, is worth $333 billion.

http://jta.org/news/article/2009/09/03/1007633/norway-divests-from-israeli-company