GREENPEACE filed a legal complaint against Norwegian state oil giant Equinor today over its links to an Israeli company involved in human rights violations in Palestine.

Equinor and Ithaca Energy are co-owners of the undeveloped Rosebank oil field in the North Sea, off the Scottish coast, which will see over £250 million flow towards Delek Group.

The Israeli fuel giant, which is Ithaca’s majority shareholder, has been listed by the United Nations as a human rights violator for operating in illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories.

It also provides fuel to the Israeli military.

Greenpeace’s complaint to the Norwegian Consumer Authority is based on Equinor’s “failure to conduct due diligence,” as required by the 2022 Norwegian Transparency Act, over its links to the two other companies.

The legislation requires Norwegian companies to ensure that their business operations and relationships respect basic human rights and follow international guidelines.  

Tessa Khan, executive director of Uplift, a Britain-based group supporting the campaign, said: “[Norway] was one of the first nations to recognise the Palestinian state and has warned Norwegian companies that they must not contribute to Israel’s illegal occupation.

“So why is Equinor, which is majority-owned by the Norwegian government, comfortable with developing a project that will send hundreds of millions to a company flagged by the UN for human rights concerns in the region?

“Equinor spends heavily on projecting an image of itself in Norway as a benign actor, but, even there, the hypocrisy of its Rosebank project is now difficult to ignore.”

Campaigners have staged protests in both Norway and Britain over the issue.

This morning Fossil Free London protesters gathered outside the Norwegian embassy in London, holding placards reading: “Norway! Stand with Palestine for human rights and our climate” and chanting: “Stop Rosebank, free Palestine.”

Fossil Free London campaigner Joanna Warrington said they aimed to “shine a light on a toxic alliance driving both human rights abuses and climate devastation.”

“The Norwegian government, through Equinor, is pushing forward with the Rosebank oil field, even though it will generate profit to fund the oppression and occupation of Palestinian people, who are already suffering at the hands of a brutal genocide,” she said.

“Norway must choose people over profit, justice over violence and stop Rosebank.”