Aftenposten today publishes a story on anti-Semitism in Malmö. On the one hand this is good: Aftenposten is one of Norway’s largest newspapers and the situation in Malmö has up to now received little – if any – attention from the Norwegian media. On the other hand this is old news – why are Norwegian newspapers so reluctant to pick up on it?
Unauthorized article from Aftenposten:
Strong man
The Jewish congregation in Malmö now consists of approximately 700 people. Fredrik Sieradzki estimates that 30-something Jews have left the city the last few years. These are predominately young people who see it as impossible to start a family in the city. Many of the Jews are especially disappointed with the social-democratic politician Ilmar Reepalu, by many described as Malmö’s strong man. They accuse Reepalu for not having clearly distanced himself from anti-Semitism in the city.
The debate concerning Reepalu’s role flared up especially after he for four weeks ago was interviewed by the local newspaper Skånska Dagbladet. In the interview he said:
– We accept neither zionism nor anti-Semitism.
Equal sign
The statement, which was interpreted that Malmö’s leading politician placed an equal sign between zionims, an ideology which sets out that Jews are to have their own homeland, and anti-Semitism, the driving force between the Nazi extermination of Jews, created a storm. Reepalu did not make it any easier for himself when he to the British newspaper Sunday Telegraph denied that there had been attacks on Jews in Malmö. If it was so that Jews in Malmö preferred to move to Israel, that was of no concern for the citys authorities, he said.
It is worthwhile to recall how the Norwegian Progress Party identified the problems in Malmö for more than a year ago. At the time, they were ridiculed by the media as well as their colleagues in other political parties. The Conservatives even managed to claim that the Progress Party was inciting hatred the same way certain politicians did during the nineteen-thirties.
Umm, you conveniently forget to add that the Progressparty wasnt talking about anti-semitism but of a concept called “Sneak-islamisation”, and claimed that sharia was being the law in parts of the city. Wich had no hold in reality.It seems that this blog consistently fails to notice the worrying signs of anti-islamism in its quest to uncover anti-semitism. I would hope for a serious blog to be able to hold a consistent standard.