Camilla Jessen
A grenade detonated outside the home of Norway’s envoy to Israel.
A grenade exploded in the garden of the Norwegian ambassador’s residence in Tel Aviv on Thursday night.
No one was hurt, but, according to Digi24, the incident has raised serious concerns and drawn strong reactions from Israeli and Norwegian officials.
The Norwegian Foreign Ministry confirmed the explosion, saying it happened in front of Ambassador Per Egil Selvaag’s home.
Ministry spokesperson Tuva Bogsnes told AFP that while there was damage, “no member of the embassy was physically injured.” Israeli police are investigating the attack.
Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar called the explosion “a serious and dangerous crime” in a post on X. He also said he spoke with the ambassador directly after the incident.
Authorities haven’t said who might be behind the attack or what the motive was, but the timing comes just after Norway joined other countries in sanctioning two far-right Israeli ministers.
Earlier this month, Norway, along with the UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, imposed sanctions on Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich—two high-ranking Israeli officials accused of promoting violence against Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza.
The five countries said the ministers had “encouraged extremist violence and human rights abuses.”
Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre has also criticized the situation in Gaza, calling it “catastrophic” as the war between Israel and Hamas stretches into its second year.