# Mona Juul **Mona Juul** (born 10 April 1959) is a prominent Norwegian diplomat and former politician representing the Labour Party. Best known for her pivotal role in the Middle East peace process during the 1990s, she has held several high-ranking positions within the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the United Nations. ### Early Life and Education Juul was born in Sparbu, Steinkjer. She earned her degree in political science from the University of Oslo before entering the Norwegian Foreign Service. ### Diplomatic Career Juul’s career is defined by her extensive experience in international mediation and multilateral diplomacy: * **The Oslo Accords:** Together with her husband, Terje Rød-Larsen, Juul played a central role in the secret negotiations that led to the 1993 Oslo Accords between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). * **Ambassadorial Roles:** She has served as Norway’s Ambassador to Israel (2001–2004) and the United Kingdom (2014–2019). * **United Nations:** Juul served as the Permanent Representative of Norway to the United Nations in New York. During this tenure, she represented Norway on the UN Security Council (2021–2022) and served as the President of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). ### Controversies In recent years, Juul’s career has been subject to scrutiny regarding her professional and personal associations: * **Association with Jeffrey Epstein:** Following the unsealing of court documents related to the Jeffrey Epstein case, it was revealed that Juul and her husband, Terje Rød-Larsen, maintained a close association with the disgraced financier. * **Administrative Leave:** In 2024, following internal reviews and public scrutiny regarding these associations, Juul was placed on administrative leave from her position within the diplomatic service. ### Recognition For her contributions to international peace efforts, Juul has received several awards, most notably the Peer Gynt Prize in 1994 (shared with Terje Rød-Larsen). Her role in the Oslo Accords was also dramatized in the 2016 play and subsequent film, *Oslo*.