ISTANBUL

Norway’s parliament on Tuesday awaited answers from the finance minister over the country’s sovereign wealth fund’s investment in Danish shipping giant Maersk amid reports of shipments to Israel, Norwegian broadcaster NRK reported.

“It turns out we have invested in a company that ships components to the same fighter jets that are bombing civilians in Gaza. There is only one thing to do, and it should be simple,” said Red Party lawmaker Bjornar Moxnes.

The Government Pension Fund Global’s Israeli investments have been under scrutiny since it emerged that it may have also profited from Bet Shemesh Engines, which repairs engines on Israeli fighter jets.

Maersk's role in the Gaza war has recently drawn protests as campaigners allege its container ships carry military equipment and components for Israel's F-36 fighter jets.

Based on its ethical guidelines, the fund – one of the largest in the world – should not be invested in companies where there is an unacceptable risk that they contribute to states’ violations of international law, according to NRK.

“When we have shares in a company that ships components for Israel’s war machine, that is almost the definition of contributing to Israeli breaches of international law,” Moxnes said.

The fund told NRK it expects Maersk to take necessary steps to reduce the risk of contributing to violations of human rights and international law.

However, the fund reportedly voted against proposals at Maersk’s annual general meeting in March that called on the company to halt transporting weapons to Israel and to enhance human-rights due diligence reporting.

"In the case of Maersk, we see the fund act in a way that is completely contrary to what it says … when it votes against proposals at the general meeting to stop the transport of military equipment to Israel," Moxnes added.

Last week, the fund announced it divested from five Israeli banking groups as well as US company Caterpillar over its use of bulldozers to destroy Palestinian property in Gaza and the West Bank.