Norway’s $1.7 trillion wealth fund may have to divest shares of companies that violate the fund watchdog’s new, tougher interpretation of ethics standards for businesses that aid Israel’s operations in the occupied Palestinian territory, Al Jazeera reports.

The Council on Ethics for the world’s largest sovereign wealth fund sent a letter to the Finance Ministry on August 30 that summarises the recently expanded definition of unethical corporate behaviour, Reuters reported.

The letter did not name the companies or specify how many would have their stocks sold but suggested it would be a small number, should the board of the central bank, which has the final say, follow recommendations that the council makes.

The fund has been an international leader in the environmental, social and governance (ESG) investment fields. It owns 1.5 percent of the world’s listed shares across 8,800 companies, and its size carries influence.