Norway’s Sovereign Wealth Fund Retreats from Israeli Investments Amid Humanitarian Crisis Claims

In a move that raises serious questions about political influence seeping into sovereign investment decisions, Norway’s Government Pension Fund Global—commonly known as the Oil Fund—has sold its shares in 11 Israeli companies. The fund's managers justified this divestment by citing what they describe as a "serious humanitarian crisis" in Gaza, signaling an unusual intertwining of geopolitical concerns with financial strategies. Operating with nearly $1.5 trillion under management and holdings in roughly 9,000 firms worldwide, Norway’s sovereign wealth fund wields significant power in global equity markets. Yet rather than focusing solely on economic fundamentals and market stability, the fund’s leadership is...