OSLO, April 29: Norway reprimanded its ambassador to Israel and her husband, the UN’s Middle East envoy to the Middle East, on Monday for failing to tell Oslo they had received cash prizes for work as peace brokers.

The foreign ministry’s reprimand to ambassador Mona Juul and her Norwegian husband Terje Roed-Larsen follows bitter attacks on Larsen by Israel’s government for criticizing the Israeli military offensive in Jenin refugee camp.

The ministry said in a statement that Juul and Larsen failed to inform the ministry about cash prizes of more than 100,000 dollars that the couple won in 1999 for helping broker Israeli-Palestinian peace when they were both working in the ministry.

NRK public radio said Juul would escape with a reprimand and not lose her job. The two were key brokers behind the now wrecked 1993 Oslo accords between Israelis and Palestinians.

Larsen no longer works for the ministry and so cannot be formally sanctioned by Norway. But political analysts say Oslo’s criticisms could fuel Israeli anger with the UN envoy.—Reuters