Aftenposten: "Beat Palestinian children during interrogations"
On March 15th Norway’s second largest newspaper Aftenposten published an editorial on the importance of combatting anti-Semitism. As Document.no points out, Aftenposten can start by examining its own journalists.
John J.Mearsheimer og Stephen M.Walt write about the media (in “The Israel Lobby” p.169): “A key part of preserving postive public attitudes
toward Israel is to ensure that the mainstream media’s coverage of Israel and the Middle East consistently favors Israel and does not call US support into question in any way… pro-Israel groups could count on media support not only from national columnists but also from the editors of some of the country’s most widely read newspapers“.
As the example below suggests, the situation in Norway is very similar to the one described by Mearsheimer and Walt.
Lars Akerhaug, a Palestine-activist
Lars Akerhaug is a Norwegian left-winger committed to the struggle against Israel and the USA. Akerhaug has served as International Liaison in the far left political party Rød Valgallianse (later Rødt) and has written extensively in publications such as Revolution and Rødt. He was a founding member of the Committee for a Free Iraq which raised funds (VG) for the insurgents’ fight against the coalition forces. As Mr.Akerhaug said at the time: ”It is right and fair to attack American targets and the Iraqi Quisling-police“. In 2001 Mr.Akerhaug was the leader of the Palestine Committee, after which he sat on its board from 2003 to 2004. He is still an active member of the Palestine Committe.
According to a source Mr.Akerhaug was also involved when the Palestine Committee invited two Hamas-members to visit Norway in 2006 – read about the visit in Dagsavisen (Norwegian). During that same year he reported to have studied Arabic in Cario in Egypt, after which he returned to Norway and freelanced for Verdens Gang until 2009.
It was at this point that Lars Akerhaug was employed by Aftenposten.
Covers Israel for Aftenposten
It is still unclear exactly why Aftenposten chose to provide exactly Lars Akerhaug, with his extremist leanings, with a position. What we do know is that Mr.Akerhaug is given free reign to write about what appears to be his favorite topic – Israel.
Only the last week he has scribbled the following: (March 9th) The third intifada is coming – religious strife may lead to new Palestinian rebellion, (March 11th) Israeli mistake behind USA-rage, apologizes to USA after mistaken declaration (March 10th) New battles in Jerusalem – Israel cuts of West Bank, (March 12th), Beat Palestinian children during interrogations (March 16th), Israel pours gasoline on fire, diplomatic relations between Israel and USA at all-time low (March 16th) and last, but not least Jewish extremists warn against marrying Leonardo Dicaprio (March 16th).
“Candidly speaking – growing hostility”
During FM Jonas Gahr Støre’s visit to Israel in January, an op-ed in the Jerusalem Post concluded:
In addition, despite repeated denials by government apologists that anti-Semitism in Norway had escalated, even the viciously anti-Israel daily Aftenposten this month carried an editorial deploring the escalation of anti-Semitism which was forcing Jews to emigrate. It attributed the increased hatred to the anti-Semitic Muslim immigrants and the impact of the hostile anti-Israel environment. The editorial concluded that the hatred represented a tragedy not only for Jews, but for Norwegian society as a whole.
This critical voice was one of many never to reach the Norwegian population, far less Aftenposten’s readers. Yet how it could it be otherwise, in a newspaper which employs journalists like Akerhaug? Many Norwegians who thought JP was a bit harsh at the time will be more understanding once they learn of Lars Akerhaug. Little by little, a pattern is beginning to develop. It is when observing this pattern that we must allow ourselves to question whether political activists like Lars Akerhaug have the objectivity to report objectively and truthfully.
Or outrightly conclude like Mearsheimer and Walt do above, that the media is heavily influenced by the lobby.
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