Norway’s parliament is set to consider a proposal that would establish a national terrorism blacklist, marking a significant shift from its current reliance on United Nations sanctions. The proposal, put forward by the Christian Democratic Party (KrF), calls for Norway to create an independent designation system that would include groups such as Hamas, Hezbollah, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Currently, Norway does not maintain its own official list of terrorist organizations and instead defers to the UN framework, which does not include the groups specified in the KrF motion. The proposal, scheduled for discussion on Tuesday, seeks parliamentary approval to instruct the government to draft legislation to develop a Norwegian terror list. This list would target organizations involved in preparing, promoting, or glorifying terrorism and would criminalize engagement with such groups under the conditions outlined in Section 136a of the Norwegian Penal Code.

KrF Whip Joel Ystebo explained that the motion is intended to align Norway with other Western allies who maintain their own lists of terrorist organizations. He emphasized the importance of taking a clear stance against terrorism and antisemitism, highlighting concerns about the influence some of these groups, particularly Hamas, have on radicalizing young people within Norway. “This is not only a foreign policy issue — it’s also a domestic issue, about our homeland security,” Ystebo said.

If the parliament approves the proposal, the government would be tasked with designing the legal and administrative framework for the list, though specific details such as which agency would oversee it remain undecided. Ystebo suggested that the Department of Justice might be the appropriate authority to manage the designation process, given the intersection of foreign policy, domestic security, and counterterrorism.

The proposal has drawn support from advocacy groups focused on combating antisemitism and terrorism in Norway. Epleeg, an Israeli activist based in Norway and head of the advocacy organization StoppNRK, voiced firm backing for the measure, especially in light of recent incidents involving the glorification of violence linked to the October 7 attacks by Hamas. He underscored that the initiative is intended to protect all Norwegians and to clearly distinguish between legitimate political discourse and violent extremist activity.

“We are not targeting Muslims or legitimate political views,” Epleeg said. “This is about drawing a clear line against organizations that use terrorism and violence to achieve their goals.” He added that Norway should join other European democracies in formally designating Hamas, Hezbollah, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and the IRGC as terrorist entities, asserting that such steps are necessary for democratic societies to defend themselves and their citizens.

The debate in Norway’s Storting represents an effort to bolster national security measures amid growing concerns over foreign extremist influences and the protection of minority communities within the country.