For our Jewish readers we wish you Gmar Chatima Tova and may you have an easy fast. For non-Jewish readers, maybe this solemn day of introspection (from sunset October 7, to emergence of the stars on October 8th) can encourage thougts on how to work to earn forgiveness from someone one may have hurt,...
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 October, 2011
Union leader: Use Norwegian missiles
Trade union leader Roar Flåthen is quick to condemn arms and guns as long as there are no Norwegian interests in it. But when there are potential Norwegian jobs in it, he is happy to walk over corpses to get his way. Preferably Libyan and Afghan corpses. The Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions demands...
Haim Koren: Our neighbors are not like Denmark and Sweden
OUR NEIGHBORS ARE NOT LIKE DENMARK AND SWEDEN Aftenbladet 2011 10 06, Atle Andersen Diplomat Haim Koren admits to Israel having made mistakes recently, but does not believe the country will be isolated in a Middle East of forceful changes. “We have made mistakes, admitting we are in a difficult situation in the Middle...
Norwegian tax payers to fund Palestinian Film Festival?
PALESTINIAN SHORT FILMS, Norsk Filminstitutt 2011 10 06, No stated author Summary. The Norwegian Film Institute announces its pride over opening the Oslo Palestinian Film Festival in Oslo in 2012. The Norwegian Film Institute, which also funded the movie “Tears of Gaza”, is directly subordinated, and funded by, the Ministry of Culture. STATELESS PEOPLE,...
Also not in Norwegian mainstream media: Assad promises to bomb Tel Aviv if NATO should intervene in Syria
Aside from a short notice in Idag, no other Norwegian newspaper has bothered to write about Assad’s threat to bomb Tel Aviv if the world should have the audacity to intervene in Syria like it has in Libya. Jpost brought a short report on this yesterday: Assad: If NATO attacks Syria, we’ll strike Tel...
Dagbladet on Israeli Nobel Laureate: As impossible as constructing a football out of hexagons.
AS IMPOSSIBLE AS CONSTRUCTING A FOOTBALL OUT OF HEXAGONS Dagbladet 2011 10 05, Geir Barstein Summary. Dagbladet makes major space headline about Israeli chemist Daniel Schechtmann over his Nobel Prize in chemistry, also providing a short summary of the bulk of Professor Schetchmann’s discovery and work. Neither political nor tendentious, simply a nice piece...
Guest writer Bell Martin: The Middle East Conflict in Norwegian Schools
After attending school in Norway, I realized that education on the conflict and culture in the Middle East was minimal. The first I heard about Middle Eastern culture and tradition in school was through religion classes. There was very little written about Judaism and teachers were not very knowledgeable about the religion, so they...
Condemn this, Støre!
Norwegian condemnations sit easy when it comes to Israel, but seem to be considerably more difficult to belt out when it comes to any matter Palestinian, even when it comes to torture. Swedish Radio reports that Hamas threatens Gaza journalists Journalists in Gaza are squeezed from two fronts simultaneously. Reporters without Borders have on...
Norwegian MFA deplores Israel for Gilo construction
MFA of Norway Press release, 28.09.2011 Norway deplores expansion of Israeli settlement “The building of settlements on occupied land is illegal and a violation of international law. I deplore the fact that the Israeli Government, by approving the construction of these homes in East Jerusalem, is undermining the opportunities for resuming peace negotiations,” commented...
Failed trip for Gaza
Hamar Arbeiderblad 2011 09 28, Stian F. Steinsvik Summary: A slightly tragicomically story on a failed project by the Municipality of Hamar: A local committee of pro-Pal activists were at first promised fiscal aid aid by the mayor of Hamar, Einar Busterud, in support of travelling to Gaza, the mayor being a pro-Pal activist....
Aftenposten autumn outdoor fun special: 20 ways to kill a moose!
According to Aftenposten, October 5th (some places earlier) is a day of great importance to many Norwegians, indeed in some faraway locations, it is the squared sum of joy felt on Christmas, New year, Constitution Day, birthdays and all the combined holidays you can imagine. The cause for such sublime celebration? The annual moose...
What is it with Klassekampen, Andresen and anti-Semitism?
Minervanett, a liberal (conservative) political blog questions Klassekampens relationship to the Jews. In an article, Klassekampen and the Jewish danger, the researcher Kjetil B Simonsen analyzes the relationship between conspiracy theories and classical anti-Semitism exemplified by our good friend, the associate professor at NTNU, Trond Andresen and Klassekampens inability to control its anti-Semitic tic....
MIFF activists in Trondheim harassed by young commies
MIFF (With Israel for Peace) reports on its home pages that young communists harassed MIFF members and stole an Israeli flag at a recent rally in Trondheim. This is the second time in a short time, that young communists harass and attack a MIFF stand and tries to shut down a lawful public meeting,...