Norwegian activists file criminal complaint against PM and officials over alleged complicity in Gaza genocide

A group of Norwegian activists has filed a criminal complaint against Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store and several senior officials, accusing them of complicity in Israel's genocide in Gaza. The complaint alleges those responsible for Norway's Government Pension Fund Global (GPFG) violated Norwegian law, which incorporates provisions of the Rome Statute on genocide, by maintaining investments in companies at high risk of contributing to war crimes, including stakes in arms corporations exporting to Israel.

The individuals named in the complaint include Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store, Finance Minister and former NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide, and former Finance Minister Trygve Slagsvold Vedum.

According to documents exclusively obtained by Middle East Eye, the Norwegian Prosecuting Authority has formally asked Kripos — the national criminal investigation service — to open an investigation into the complaint, reversing a previous rejection. The complaint was filed by the group 'Grandmothers Against Genocide' along with a supplementary complaint from 'The Palestine Committee of Norway', which also names fund CEO Nicolai Tangen and Norwegian central bank governor Ida Wolden Bache.

Norway's sovereign wealth fund, valued at $2.2 trillion, is the world's largest. In 2025, it divested from 23 Israeli companies for violating its ethical investment policy. However, the fund still holds stakes in 29 other Israeli companies, despite criticism from the U.S., where State Department officials have expressed concern over Norway's divestment decisions. The fund also maintains investments in multinational arms corporations like Leonardo and ThyssenKrupp, which directly supply the Israeli military — a force that has killed more than 72,000 Palestinians in Gaza since October 2023.

In June, a proposal to fully divest from companies linked to Israeli war crimes was rejected by the Norwegian parliament due to lack of support from the ruling Labour Party. In May, Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories, wrote to Mr. Stoltenberg warning that the fund's ongoing investments in companies linked to war crimes could put Norway in violation of international law.

Kirsti Maehle, co-founder of 'Grandmothers Against Genocide', said prosecuting officials responsible for the fund would establish a “necessary guiding principle for our elected representatives, who completely close their eyes to the suffering of the victims.” She said: “They sit in parliament, the Storting, and vote in favour of the investments. That means voting to contribute to crimes against humanity, which is truly unacceptable.”

Terje Einarsen, a law professor at the University of Bergen who provided legal advice for the complaint in a personal capacity, said “Norwegian government leaders have likely been fully aware of the main crimes and the actual contribution of certain companies partially owned by the fund.” He added that “it is not a necessary legal requirement that Norwegian politicians intended or desired to contribute to the atrocity crimes. They may be legally liable for aiding or abetting one or more crimes.”

A 118-page report compiled by the group 'Historians for Palestine', documenting the fund's investments in companies linked to war crimes, was released in June and submitted as part of the evidence for the complaint. Professor Pal Nygaard at the Norwegian Business School, co-author of the report, said: “Continuing to invest in companies that actively violate Israel's international law obligations means accepting these mass killings.”

A letter shows that prosecutors have formally asked Kripos to notify the named individuals of the pending investigation. 'Grandmothers Against Genocide' also presented evidence to Norway's Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs on Tuesday regarding the fund's investments.