Hilde Henriksen Waage challenges Norway's self-image as a 'peace nation' – and Støre must answer the call

For decades, we’ve lapped up the story of Norway as some kind of peace superpower. From Gaza to Guatemala, via Sri Lanka and Colombia – Norwegians have been everywhere, cap in hand and pockets full of oil money. But behind the facade of good intentions, historian Hilde Henriksen Waage has spent over twenty years digging up material that puts serious cracks in that self-image. Now the debate has well and truly exploded, and the Prime Minister is on the back foot.

A researcher who won’t be bought off

Waage, a senior researcher at the Norwegian Institute for Defence Studies and a professor at the University of Oslo, has made a name for herself by delving into archives others can’t be bothered opening. She’s been inside the inner sanctums of Norwegian diplomacy, and what she finds doesn’t fit the glossy picture postcard. In her research into Norway's engagement in the Middle East, she uncovers a pattern where Norwegian players have often been more preoccupied with alliances with the US and Israel than pushing for a fair two-state solution. It’s an uncomfortable claim, but her documentation is watertight.

What makes Hilde Henriksen Waage so remarkable is that she doesn’t just quibble over minor details. She challenges the very foundation of Norwegian foreign policy: the idea that we are a 'neutral' and 'moral' beacon. When she talks about the Oslo Accords, she reminds us that they were largely cooked up in secret, with no public mandate, and that the Palestinian side was pressured into accepting terms they could never really live with. This isn't the history we grew up with.

The backlash is immediate

On the back of recent interviews and lectures, Hilde Henriksen Waage has lit a fire under the political debate. Several of her criticisms land squarely at the feet of the current government. In a recent chat with key political sources, it's clear Jonas Gahr Støre is being pushed to provide a better explanation. What did he know? What should he have known? Støre, a former Foreign Minister and State Secretary himself, is part of the very establishment Waage is now questioning. She’s pored over documents from the period, and claims the official explanations from Norwegian authorities simply don’t stack up. Several sources describe them as "outright lies" – strong language in Norwegian political discourse.

This is no longer just an academic discussion at the University. It’s become a hot potato in the corridors of the Norwegian parliament. When one of the country’s foremost experts on peace diplomacy says the public has been misled, politicians have to step up. Støre has been keeping his cards close to his chest so far, but the pressure is mounting.

What exactly is Waage saying?

To grasp the gravity of it all, let’s break down some of the core points from Hilde Henriksen Waage's research and critique:

• The myth of neutrality: Norway has never been a neutral player in conflicts, but has always had its own interests – often tied to the NATO alliance and trade.
• Hidden agendas: Reviewing the archives shows that Norwegian diplomats have, at times, withheld information from parties in a conflict, which undermines trust in the mediator role.
• Lack of self-criticism: Official Norway has refused to reckon with failed strategies, especially in the Middle East. Instead, we pat ourselves on the back as the quintessential peace nation.
• The voice of power: Waage points out that it’s often the stronger parties who get their way in Norwegian diplomacy, while the weaker ones are left with promises that never amount to anything.

These points are dynamite. Because if Waage is right, Norway's role in the world isn't just a matter of goodwill, but also of power politics and playing along. And that’s precisely why she’s become such a threat to those in power.

A necessary wake-up call

Whether you agree with her or not, Hilde Henriksen Waage forces us to take a long, hard look at ourselves. What is Norwegian foreign policy really all about? Are we the altruistic helpers we like to think we are, or just a small state that bends to the big players? This week, the debate has been swinging back and forth, and it’s sure to continue. One thing’s for certain: the researcher from the University of Oslo has managed to poke at something deeply embedded in the Norwegian national psyche. And once the stitches start to unravel, it's hard to sew it all back together.

Now, it remains to be seen whether Støre and co. can provide the answers that Waage and the public are demanding. Because history has a habit of catching up with you – and right now, the historian is the one knocking at the door.