Friends of Israel in the Parliament of Norway ( no, Israels Venner på Stortinget) is a pro-

Israel Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...

caucus A caucus is a meeting of supporters or members of a specific political party or movement. The exact definition varies between different countries and political cultures. The term originated in the United States, where it can refer to a meeting ...

group consisting of members of the

Parliament of Norway The Storting ( no, Stortinget ) (lit. the Great Thing) is the supreme legislature of Norway, established in 1814 by the Constitution of Norway. It is located in Oslo. The unicameral parliament has 169 members and is elected every four years bas ...

History

1974 Major events in 1974 include the aftermath of the 1973 oil crisis and the resignation of United States President Richard Nixon following the Watergate scandal. In the Middle East, the aftermath of the 1973 Yom Kippur War determined politics; f ...

the group constituted a majority in the Parliament of Norway for the first time, with 86 members among the 150 parliamentary representatives. All political parties except for the

Socialist Electoral League The Socialist Left Party of Norway ( no, Sosialistisk Venstreparti or SV) was founded in 1975. Its history shows a long-term rise in political influence, resulting in part from its emergence from older left-wing parties, especially the Socialist ...

were represented. In

1981 Events January * January 1 ** Greece enters the European Economic Community, predecessor of the European Union. ** Palau becomes a self-governing territory. * January 10 – Salvadoran Civil War: The FMLN launches its first major offensiv ...

the group had 100 members, but this number declined following the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 1982. In the

2005 File:2005 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf of Mexico; the Funeral of Pope John Paul II is held in Vatican City; "Me at the zoo", the first video ever to be uploaded to YouTube; Eris was discovered in ...

the group had 28 members from three political parties; 16 from the Progress Party (FrP), 10 from the Christian Democratic Party (KrF) and 2 from the Conservative Party (H). One member, KrF's

Jon Lilletun Jon Lilletun (23 October 1945 – 21 August 2006) was a Norwegian politician active in the Christian Democratic Party. Background Lilletun was born in Western Vossestrand, now a part of the municipality of Voss. His father owned a farm and ...

, died during the term. In comparison, the number of seats in parliament for each party was 38 from the Progress Party, 11 from the Christian Democratic Party and 23 from the Conservative Party. The group was chaired by Ingebrigt S. Sørfonn of the Christian Democratic Party. In late 2007, an initiative was taken to form an opposing parliamentary group, Friends of Palestine in the Parliament of Norway, in support of

Palestinians Palestinians ( ar, الفلسطينيون, ; he, פָלַסְטִינִים, ) or Palestinian people ( ar, الشعب الفلسطيني, label=none, ), also referred to as Palestinian Arabs ( ar, الفلسطينيين العرب, label=non ...

. After the 2009 election, the groups supporting Israel and Palestine reconvened.

Torbjørn Røe Isaksen Torbjørn Røe Isaksen (born 28 July 1978) is a Norwegian politician, MP for the Conservative Party who served as Minister of Labour and Social Inclusion from 2020 to 2021. He previously served as Minister of Trade and Industry from 2018 to 2020 ...

(H) joined both groups. In late November 2009 the group had 26 members; 13 from the Progress Party (FrP), 10 from the Christian Democratic Party (KrF) and 3 from the Conservative Party (H). In comparison, the number of seats in parliament for each party was 41 from the Progress Party, 10 from the Christian Democratic Party and 30 from the Conservative Party. The members elected

Hans Olav Syversen Hans Olav Syversen (born 25 November 1966 in Skjervøy) is a Norwegian politician for the Christian Democratic Party. He was elected to the Norwegian Parliament from Oslo in 2005. He previously served as a deputy representative to the Norwegian P ...

as leader from 2009 to 2011, and

Jørund Rytman Jørund Henning Rytman (born 4 May 1977) is a Norway, Norwegian Progress Party (Norway), Progress Party politician representing Buskerud in the Storting. He was first elected in 2005. Storting committees *2013–2017 member of the Standing Commi ...

as leader from 2011 to 2013.

Present members (2013–2017)

As of June 2014, the Friends of Israel have a total of 37 members, 20 (of 29) from the Progress Party (FrP), 10 (of 10) from the Christian Democratic Party (KrF), 4 (of 48) from the Conservative Party (H), and 3 (of 55) from the Labour Party (Ap). Hans Fredrik Grøvan (KrF) chaired the caucus the first two years, and Jørund Rytman (FrP) the final two years. *

Harald T. Nesvik Harald Tom Nesvik (born 4 May 1966 in Ålesund, Norway) is a Norwegian politician and member of the ''Storting'' for Møre og Romsdal since 1997. He is a member of the Progress Party (FrP) and is perhaps most famous outside Norway for nominatin ...

( FrP) *

Ingebjørg Godskesen Ingebjørg Amanda Godskesen (born 26 May 1957) is a Norwegian politician who represented the Progress Party until 2017. She was a member of the Storting from 2013 to 2017. Biography Godskesen was born in Kristiansand on 26 May 1957. She was ...

(FrP) *

Jan-Henrik Fredriksen Jan-Henrik Fredriksen (2 October 1956 – 8 March 2020) was a Norwegian politician representing the Progress Party (FRP). He was a representative of Finnmark in the '' Storting''. He was born in Kragerø, Telemark Telemark is a traditiona ...

(FrP) *

Sivert Bjørnstad Sivert Haugen Bjørnstad (born 3 October 1990) is a Norwegian politician for the Progress Party (Norway), Progress Party. He was elected to the Norwegian parliament in the 2013 Norwegian parliamentary election, 2013, becoming the parliament's you ...

(FrP) *

Kenneth Svendsen Kenneth Svendsen (born 2 August 1954 in Fauske) is a Norwegian politician for the Progress Party. Biography He was elected to the Norwegian Parliament from Nordland in 1997, and has been re-elected on two occasions. Svendsen held various posi ...

(FrP) *

Morten Ørsal Johansen Morten Ørsal Johansen (born 11 September 1964) is a Norwegian politician for the Progress Party. Early life and career Johansen was born in Sunndal. His father was a photographer and his mother a pay secretary. He attended school in Raufoss, i ...

(FrP) *

Christian Tybring-Gjedde Christian Tybring-Gjedde (born 8 August 1963) is a Norwegian politician who represents the Progress Party. He has been a member of the Norwegian parliament since 2005, and was the leader of the Progress Party's Oslo chapter from 2010 to 2014. H ...

(FrP) *

Tor André Johnsen Tor André Johnsen (born 25 November 1968) is a Norwegian politician for the Progress Party. He has been a member of the Storting since 2013. Biography Johnsen was born on 25 November 1968. He hails from Ringsaker, and was elected member of t ...

(FrP) *

Per Sandberg Per Sandberg (born 6 February 1960) is a Norwegian politician for the Capitalist Party and formerly the Progress Party who served as the Norwegian Minister of Fisheries from 2015 to 2018. Sandberg was a member of the Norwegian parliament from 1 ...

(FrP) * Erlend Wiborg (FrP) * Oskar Grimstad (FrP) * Bente Thorsen (FrP) *

Kristian Norheim Kristian Norheim (born 19 April 1976) is a Norwegian politician who has been a member of the Stortinget as an alternate for State Secretary Bård Hoksrud. He is a member of the Progress Party and an expert on international relations. Early lif ...

(FrP) * Ulf Leirstein (FrP) *

Mazyar Keshvari Mazyar Keshvari ( fa, مازیار کشوری; born 5 March 1981) is an Norwegians with Iranian background, Iranian-born Norway, Norwegian former politician for the Progress Party (Norway), Progress Party and a convicted felon who is serving two ...

(FrP) *

Morten Wold Morten Wold (born 22 June 1967) is a Norwegian politician for the Progress Party. He was elected to the Parliament of Norway from Buskerud Buskerud () is a former county and a current electoral district in Norway, bordering Akershus, Oslo, ...

(FrP) *

Morten Stordalen Finn Morten Stordalen (born 5 October 1968) is a Norwegian politician for the Progress Party. He served as a deputy representative to the Parliament of Norway from Vestfold Vestfold is a traditional region, a former county and a current elec ...

(FrP) *

Tom E. B. Holthe Tom Holthe (born 25 March 1956) is a Norwegian politician for the Progress Party. He was elected as a deputy representative to the Storting from Vestfold in 2013. He was full member of the Storting from 2013 to 2016, when Anders Anundsen serv ...

(FrP) * Helge Thorheim (FrP) *

Himanshu Gulati Himanshu Gulati (born 16 June 1988) is a Norwegian politician representing the Progress Party. Gulati was the chairperson of the Progress Party's Youth from 2012 to 2014. He served as State Secretary in the Ministry of Justice and Public Secur ...

(FrP) *

Kjell Ingolf Ropstad Kjell Ingolf Ropstad (born 1 June 1985) is a Norwegian politician for the Christian Democratic Party, who served as the Minister of Children, Family and Church Affairs and the leader of the Christian Democratic Party from 2019 to 2021. He has bee ...

(

KrF The Christian Democratic Party ( nb, Kristelig Folkeparti, nn, Kristeleg Folkeparti, se, Risttalaš Álbmotbellodat, , KrF) is a Christian-democratic political party in Norway founded in 1933. The party is an observer member of the European ...

) * Olaug Bollestad (KrF) *

Knut Arild Hareide Knut Arild Hareide (born 23 November 1972) is a Norwegian politician who served as a member of parliament from Hordaland and as the leader of the Christian Democratic Party from 2011 to 2019. He served as Minister of Transport and Communications ...

(KrF) *

Hans Fredrik Grøvan Hans Fredrik Grøvan (born 1 November 1953) is a Norwegian politician for the Christian Democratic Party. He served as the party’s parliamentary leader from 2019 to 2021. Career Parliament He was elected to the Norwegian Parliament from Vest- ...

(KrF) * Rigmor Andersen Eide (KrF) *

(KrF) * Line Henriette Hjemdal (KrF) * Geir Jørgen Bekkevold (KrF) * Geir Toskedal (KrF) *

Anders Tyvand Anders Tyvand (born 14 May 1980) is a Norwegian politician for the Christian Democratic Party. He was elected to the Parliament of Norway from Vestfold in 2013 where he is member of the Standing Committee on Education, Research and Church Affairs ...

(KrF) * Siri A. Meling ( H) *

Ingjerd Schou Ingjerd Schou, née Schie (born 20 January 1955) is a Norwegian politician for the Conservative Party. Born in Sarpsborg, Schou was elected to the Norwegian Parliament from Østfold in 2001. From 2001, when the second cabinet Bondevik held office ...

(H) *

Øyvind Halleraker Øyvind Halleraker (born 27 October 1951, in Oslo) is a Norwegian politician representing the Conservative Party. He is currently a representative of Hordaland in the ''Storting The Storting ( no, Stortinget ) (lit. the Great Thing) is the sup ...

(H) *

Frank Jenssen Frank Josef Jenssen (born 11 August 1969) is a Norwegian politician for the Conservative Party. He was elected to the Parliament of Norway for Sør-Trøndelag in 2013 and in 2018, he became the first County Governor of the new Trøndelag county ...

(H) *

Kari Henriksen Kari Henriksen (born 10 August 1955) is a Norwegian politician for the Labour Party. She has served as an MP for Vest-Agder since 2009, and the fourth Vice President of the Storting since 2021. Personal life She was born in Vennesla. Political ...

( Ap) *

Sverre Myrli Sverre Myrli (born 26 August 1971 in Nes) is a Norwegian politician for the Labour Party. Political career Jagland cabinet During the cabinet Jagland he was appointed political advisor in the Ministry of Transport. Parliament He was elected to ...

(Ap) * Kåre Simensen (Ap) Two members, Kari Henriksen and Sverre Myrli (both Ap) were also members of Friends of Palestine."TV 2 stilte politikerne i «Israels venner» tre spørsmål om Gaza-angrepene"
''TV2'', 29 June 2014

References

* * {{Use dmy dates, date=September 2020 Politics of Norway Storting Israel friendship associations Israel–Norway relations Norway friendship associations Jewish Norwegian history Zionism in Norway