At a meeting of Nordic foreign ministers in October 2012, he expressed the view that Israeli settlements were the "greatest obstacle to a two-state solution", it was also announced that the Nordic countries had agreed to upgrade Palestinian representation in their capitals. In November 2012, during Operation Pillar of Defense, he urged an end to hostilities between Israel and the Palestinians. Also in November 2012, he was pressured by other members of his party to vote to give Palestine "non-member observer state" status at the U.N.