HUMAN rights and environmental groups have challenged Rosebank oil field’s links to illegal Israeli settlements at its owner’s AGM.

Amnesty International intervened at the AGM of Equinor — the majority owner of the controversial Rosebank oil field — in Norway on Wednesday over its links to Delek Group, an Israeli fuel conglomerate.

Equinor shares ownership of Rosebank with Ithaca Energy, which is majority-owned by Delek Group.

This means Equinor’s Rosebank project could send £253 million to the group, which operates in illegal settlements and provides fuel to the IDF, the campaigners say.

Delek Group has also been flagged by the UN for human rights violations in Palestine.

Greenpeace also tabled a first-of-its-kind shareholder proposal, which calls on Equinor to conduct due diligence over its links to companies operating in Israel’s illegal settlements.

StopRosebank lead campaigner Lauren MacDonald said: “The hypocrisy Equinor is demonstrating cannot be understated.

“Previously known as Statoil, it is majority-owned by the Norwegian state, which has been vocal in its criticism of the appalling situation in Palestine.

“There is no shortage of reasons why Equinor’s Rosebank project should not go ahead, but the fact that hundreds of millions could flow from the field towards a company that has been flagged by the UN for human rights abuses is another thing entirely.

“The UK government does not just need to consider the climate harm associated with a potential reapproval of this field.

“Profits from the North Sea should not be flowing towards companies that are facilitating the expansion and existence of illegal settlements.

“If the Norwegian government is serious about its national position on Palestine, it will tell Equinor to pull the plug on the Rosebank project for good.”

Equinor has been contacted for comment.