Norway’s Storebrand exits Palantir over IOF human rights violations
7 Min Read
Storebrand has explained that the decision to divest was based on Palantir’s “sales of products and services to Israel for use in occupied Palestinian territories.”
-
The headquarters of Storebrand located in the Norwegian town of Lysaker. (Storebrand)
Norwegian investor Storebrand Asset Management has sold its stake in Palantir Technologies, expressing concern that the AI data company's services to the Israeli military and security forces may breach international humanitarian law and human rights.
In a recent update, Storebrand, which oversees assets totaling 1.2 trillion crowns ($109 billion), stated that it divested from Palantir “due [to] its sales of products and services to Israel for use in occupied Palestinian territories.” Previously, the asset manager had held approximately 262 million crowns ($24 million) in Palantir, according to a spokesperson for the firm who spoke to Reuters.
Dive deeper
The US data-analysis company creates software powered by artificial intelligence to process vast amounts of information. This technology is utilized by government civil administrations, military, and intelligence agencies. The AI data platforms aid intelligence organizations in profiling information to identify targets and in making operational decisions for military strategies.
Its AI tools reportedly help investigators uncover human trafficking networks, locate exploited children, and identify complex financial crimes and insider trading in the business sector.
The Denver-based data-mining company, valued at $100 billion, has been operating in "Israel" for the past decade and maintains an office in Tel Aviv staffed by many former Israeli government officials.
In January, Palantir co-founder and CEO Alex Karp held the company’s first board meeting of the year in Tel Aviv to demonstrate solidarity with "Israel" amid its war on Gaza.
Why it matters
Storebrand said its decision to end its investment in Palantir comes after the Norwegian government warned Norwegian businesses in an official statement in early March that “engaging in any economic or financial activity in the illegal Israeli settlements could put them at risk of contributing to violations of international humanitarian law and human rights.”
The Norwegian investor also referenced an advisory opinion from the United Nations’ International Court of Justice issued in July, which stated that the Israeli presence in East al-Quds, the West Bank, and Gaza (despite the military withdrawal from Gaza in 2005) is illegal.
“Storebrand claimed that this system is designed to identify individuals likely to carry out ‘lone wolf terrorist’ attacks, enabling preemptive arrests before the projected strikes occur.”
The Norwegian investor noted that Palantir had not responded to any of its repeated requests for information since the initial contact in April.
Not an isolated incident
Norway is the latest in a series of European nations reevaluating their trade relations with "Israel" since the onset of the ongoing genocidal war in Gaza, which has killed more than 42,000 people, mostly women and children, and has resulted in harrowing massacres.
Throughout the ongoing war, Norway has criticized the Israeli actions. In late May, Norway, along with Spain and Ireland, officially recognized a Palestinian state.
At the time, Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide said in a statement that "Norway has been one of the most fervent defenders of a Palestinian state for more than 30 years," adding, "The day that Norway officially recognizes Palestine as a state is a special day for Norway-Palestine relations."
Earlier this month, Norway sharply criticized "Israel" for its “brutal warfare” in Gaza, accusing the country of violating the rules of war.
“Israel’s brutal warfare in Gaza includes indiscriminate and disproportionate attacks, as well as measures that prevent the population from receiving humanitarian aid. This is in violation of the rules of war,” said Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide in a statement.
He pointed out that the Israeli entity continues to largely block access to food and essential emergency aid. The UN has warned that without increased humanitarian access and commercial food trade, “Gaza will experience full-scale famine by November,” Eide added.
“Civilians, the sick and wounded must receive protection, food, and essential medical assistance,” the Minister emphasized.
He noted that a ceasefire, the release of captives, and sufficient emergency aid for the people of Gaza are critical first steps, though a ceasefire alone is not a solution.
“Only a two-state solution and respect for international law can provide lasting stability and security in the Middle East. I call on all parties to de-escalate and to replace force of arms with diplomacy and negotiations,” Eide stated.
HRW warns IOF use of AI, digital tools risk civilian lives in Gaza
Human Rights Watch raised concerns in September about the Israeli occupation's use of surveillance technologies, artificial intelligence (AI), and other digital tools that maximize civilian death and destruction during the war on Gaza.
These tools, which "Israel" claims are intended to assess the civilian presence, guide attack timing, and differentiate between civilians and combatants, are increasing the risk of civilian harm.
The report highlights that the tools rely on flawed data and imprecise methods, potentially violating international humanitarian laws. HRW criticizes the design and application of these tools for potentially causing unlawful civilian casualties. Additionally, the tools involve extensive surveillance and use of personal data, which raises further legal and ethical issues.
Zach Campbell, senior surveillance researcher at Human Rights Watch stated that "Israel" is using "incomplete data, flawed calculations, and tools not fit for purpose to help make life and death decisions in Gaza, which could be increasing civilian harm," pointing to the problems in the designs and use of the tools.
HRW assessed the four tools using Israeli officials' statements, previously unreported material, media reports, and expert and journalist interviews. This material, while partial, includes crucial facts regarding how these tools work, how they were designed, what data they utilize, and how they might help military decision-making.
The first is an evacuation monitoring tool based on mobile phone tracking to monitor Palestinian evacuations from northern Gaza. According to HRW, this tool may be compromised due to damage to Gaza's communications infrastructure by indiscriminate Israeli strikes, rendering it less reliable for military decisions.
The Gospel is the second tool that generates lists of buildings and structures to be targeted.
Lavender, the third tool, assigns ratings to individuals to assess how involved they are in the Palestinian Resistance movements. Where’s Daddy? is a tool that identifies when a target is at a specific location, often their family home, for potential attacks.
The Gospel and Lavender algorithms are prone to biases and inaccuracies, potentially leading to wrongful targeting of civilians. HRW highlights that algorithmic outputs often reflect programmer biases and can be excessively trusted despite the incomplete data they rely on.
Israeli utilization of sophisticated AI technology in its genocidal campaign in Gaza marks new territory in modern warfare, adding to the legal and ethical scrutiny and reshaping the dynamics between military personnel and automated systems.
