Norway's Folly

If Israel's so-called separation barrier between it and the West Bank has, by most accounts, put an end to Palestinian suicide attacks inside Israel, what sense does it make to boycott a company that makes that barrier possible?

Absolutely none.

Yet, that's exactly what Norway's state pension fund has done. It reportedly divested itself on Friday of $5.4 million dollars in stock in Elbit Systems which supplies surveillance detection equipment for the barrier.

Norway says Elbit "directly contributes to violations of international humanitarian law," and it secretly sold Elbit stock, probably to limit bad press and pressure not to divest. It says the barrier "unacceptably restricts" Palestinian movement.

In a handful of locations, the barrier indeed impedes Palestinian movement, but certainly the benefits of the barrier -- saving Israeli lives -- necessitates any such inconvenience.

What is really behind Norway's decision? Do the Norwegians simply misunderstand the facts surrounding the barrier? Or, does something more sinister lie behind their decision? It is notable that Norway provided no advance warning of its decision, thereby depriving Israel or its defenders an opportunity to explain why divestment is wrong.