Transcription of a debate in Dagsnytt 18 NRK on 2008 08 04. I have modified some oral ways of expression, which in an written English language context may seem odd. I have denoted said modifications thus Participants: Erna Solberg (chairwoman, conservative party), Mona Levin, Trine Skei Grande (chairwoman, Liberal party), Jorunn Seim Fure...
Norway, Israel and the Jews
- Happy 17th of MayOnce more, we gather under our flag to celebrate our freedom. Each 17th of May, the Jewish community in Oslo organize a formal and serene commemoration of Henrik Wergeland, the son of one of the member of the Constituent Assembly for our Constitution. In its original version, our Constitution was shamed by the exclusion of Jews and Jesuits in Norway, som […]
- “Minister of justice” to Jews in Oslo: too badThe synagogue in Oslo – already one of the most fortified structures in Norway – applied to the government for additional funds to secure its congregation. They asked for NOK 21 million but got NOK 7 million. After all the speeches Støre and Stoltenberg with no end to the flowery assurances, this is what it comes down to: Jews should be content feeling prett […]
- The Jewish Community in Oslo applied for NOK 21 million for security measures, only got NOK 7,2lifted from Vårt Land Synagogues receive NOK 7.2 million for security The money goes towards securing doors, upgrade the monitoring system and setting up a security fence. The Government proposes in the revised national budget to allocate 7.2 million forsecurity at the Jewish Religious Community (DMT). - No one should have to be afraid to exercise their rel […]
- Letter from a 17-year old Jewish boyAftenposten today published an op-ed from “Daniel,” a 17-year old Norwegian student who happens to be Jewish. He feels surrounded by antisemitic attitudes, ranging from comments by a fellow video game player (“just pretend they’re Jews when you aim at them”), to the inevitable “so you support killing babies?” when he mentions he supports Israel, to the inabi […]
- PalCom action ‘small and unsuccessful’lifted from miff.no Palestine Committee’s action was “small and unsuccessful” Only a small number of provocateurs from Palestine Committee participated in a store action against Israel’s Dead Sea products in Oslo last Tuesday (May 16) evening. The police were notified in advance and got them quickly away from the place. By Conrad Myrland Published: 16/05/201 […]
- VG’s Astrid Meland attacks Pal activists and media for unethical focus on IsraelAstrid Meland published an OpEd in VG on May 14, which currently is not online. MIFF has published a review article online, from where I have lifted the following: Astrid Meland believes Israel’s critics in Norway are victim of a collective neurosis, where you turn a blind eye to much worse breaches of human rights by other states. - Unethical focus on Isra […]
- Stand up, stand up – for the Hebrew MamitaIf I were a man, I would seriously consider inviting this lady out for dinner. Since I am not, I can only say – WAY TO GO, SISTER! linkscolor = "000000"; highlightscolor = "888888"; backgroundcolor = "FFFFFF"; channel = "none"; […]
- Oopsie – Norwegian academia has become synonymous with academic anti-Semitismlifted from ynetnews.com This is the cost of allowing a guy like Galtung to roam free – regardless of round rejection of his recent remarks, this was by no means the first time the ‘mad professor’ let it rip, as is evident by the details of this op-ed. Why did not the Norwegian intelligentia react at an earlier stage? Did they perhaps agree with the previous […]
- Gloves are off: MIFF (With Israel for Peace) reports the PalCom to the policeLifted from miff.no What can I say? Bravo! MIFF is doing an incredibly important job and luckily their hard efforts are rewarded with a healthy growth in their memberships. Maybe readers of this blog could be entreated to find a way of supporting MIFF? By the way, I have no relation to MIFF, personally or professionally – this is just a courtesy call to reco […]
- What Karsten Tveit’s award really signifiesOdd Karsten Tveit wins the Gullruten lifetime award for his propaganda news coverage from the Middle East. When it comes to correspondents in the Middle East sent by NRK (the governmental broadcasting organization financed by a surcharge on owning a television), it’s a bit like watching the Eurovision song contest: you can endlessly discuss who is worse. Bu […]
Archive for August, 2011
Weird messages received by MIFF
Konrad Myrland, the daily manager at miff.no, has published a short article on some weird messages they received in the aftermath of 22/7 (unauthorized translation): Will there be more acceptance for Israel’s version? Published: Tirsdag 9. august 2011 By Conrad Myrland Norway will respond to terror with more openness, the Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg said...
Barry Rubin hits back too. Double ouch!
It is not only Caroline Glick who was incensed to be quoted out of context and attributed statements she never made; Barry Rubin too, aims his cannons at unreliable news organizations here, specifically Dagbladet, who portrayed him as being pro-terrorist. Suggestion to Dagbladet, next time you want to pick a fight, don’t punch above...
A Swedish point of view
Today, many Norwegians have choked on their morning coffee by reading about this oped in one of the biggest newspapers in Sweden, Dagens Nyheter. I too am perplexed by this analysis, and tend to agree with many a Norwegian pundit, that this is not necessarily sound reasoning and that too many issues have been conflated...
Support Syrians…. boycott that
Syrian activist now turn to commercial warfare to discourage foreign investment that props up their killer dictator. Haaretz features a very interesting and inspiring piece on how boycott can be a legitimate tool to fight true injustice. Why there are no Norwegian calls to boycott companies that support Syria is really a matter of...
To be or not to be…. anonymous
After July 22, it is in bad taste to be an anonymous blogger… who knows what we are up to – instigating riots, inspiring mass murderers and what have you. Christian is rightly very upset, we all are. Broken hearted really – some blows can be very hard to absorb, if at all. I...
Where did all the protests go?
Syria – tanks have rolled in, hundreds have died, the UNSC has condemned it, Turkey has withdrawn its ambassador, so have other Arab countries, the king of Saudi has called on Assad to stop his massacre, UN chief Ban has also called, Russia tells Assad they cannot continue like this and Norway?… FM Støre...
Blog has maybe 34 readers
A recent post attracted 34 comments. For a small blog covering Norwegian-Israel relations and anti-Semitism, in English, that’s huge. All of the comments (True, some stalwart readers made multiple comments) were heart-warmingly positive and in support of this blog. Thanks, guys. Love all of you! Thanks for your input! I’m a bit torn up...
Caroline Glick hits back – ouch!
Foreign Ministry secretary Espen Barth Eide has got a very fierce reply to his inaccurate JP oped. I would advice Mr. Eide to check and verify his facts before trying a stunt like this again…. Our World: Norway’s Jewish problem By CAROLINE B. GLICK 08/08/2011 23:17 Norway’s gov’t attacked us for merely pointing out...
A voice of reason: Hellestveit to Vårt Land: Free speech is not freedom from responsibility
Cecilie Hellestvet, researcher at the International Law and Policy Institute was interviewed by Vårt Lands Astrid Dalehaug Nordheim on August 4. At a time when many a Norwegian practices self censorship or feels intimidated by politically correct press in the wake of the horrors of July 22, she has some very wise things to say...
Hate speech of the day: a poem
The “eclatante” poem below is a talkback to an oped on Nye Meninger, the debate forum for the Labour mouthpiece dagsavisen on June 29, 2011 The oped deals with the failed flotilla, and is, in and of itself, insignificant, riddled with homemade definitions of international Law, but in the end risible, although it does...
Time to start to circle in on the bigger picture
2 weeks. From utter disbelief, to deep grief, we are now trying to piece together the bigger picture of events before and after the terrible murders on July 22, seen through the rather narrow prism of the stated purpose of this blog, Norway’s relationship to Israel and the Jews. June 16: As the seminar...
Erna Solberg says Muslims are treated like the Jews in the 1930s
The leader of Høyre, Erna Solberg has said in an interview with VG that Muslims in todays Norway are being treated like the Norwegian Jews were treated in the 1930s. To be very fair (and this is of fundamental importance in todays Norway), she has underlined that Muslims today are not subject to the...
Grad rockets hit Kiriat Gat
Our peace loving friends in Gaza have upgraded their technology and are now trying out their new toys on hapless citizens in Israel. Lets hope failed flotilla sailor Aksel Hagen finds the time ripe to modify that part of his party’s political platform he now realizes is poorly nuanced , as well as permitting...
What is identity? What is culture? What is religion?
There must be many of us who are struggling to reconcile conflicting feelings about having a wildly multicultural society thrust upon us. I am equally sure that many of those who feel that more time is needed in order to integrate the immigrants into the wider community AS WELL AS preparing the ground in...
Syria: 1.634 murdered civilians and still counting… where is the UNSC?
The holy month of Ramadan has started, with a terrible toll for Syrian faithfuls who have been murdered in cold blood by their own – but unelected president – Bashar al-Assad. Hama, Deir Ezzor, Deraa and Zamalka have literally been steam rolled, while protesters, in the cross hairs of Russian tanks – fought back...
The faces of a most meaningless tragedy
Here at NIJ, we are still stunned after that unfathomable and despicable act of slaughtering innocent kids at a summer camp, and people getting ready to go home after work to enjoy a weekend with family and friends. These are the victims that we could not afford to loose as we extend, here too,...