NAZARETH (PIC)– The Israeli foreign ministry on Tuesday cancelled a scheduled meeting between its director general and the Norwegian deputy foreign minister Raymond Johansen in protest over the latter’s meeting with PA premier Ismail Haneyya in Gaza on Monday.
A spokesman for the ministry said that the meeting was called off recalling that the Israeli government had decided last year not to meet with any foreign dignitary that would meet with the Hamas-led PA government.
However an Israeli Labor party MP met with the Norwegian official in violation of that ban. She said after the meeting that the foreign ministry should realize that such meetings were of benefit to Israel.
Johansen’s visit to Gaza came only two days after Oslo declared recognition of the PA unity government.
