From the Simon Wiesenthal Centre on NTNU’s campaign – first a skewed seminar series and then a discussion on boycott – against Israel, the only democracy and the only jewish state in the Middle East. Paris, 26 October 2009 This month, the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) is going to formally consider...
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 […]
boycott
Is NTNU’s boycott proposal in accordance with the law?
Norway has some sharp legal minds. Every now and then, as long as it comes to Israel, they are willing to do a bit of pro-Bono work. So we have a group of Norwegian lawyers filing complaint against Israel for war-crimes and a Norwegian judge suspecting Israel of genocide. The latter was singularly unsuccessful...
French on NTNU: “Cher Recteur…”
A vocal minority of Norwegians left-wingers obsess about Israel nonstop and they have been doing so for years. While these people close their eyes to the transgressions of Israel’s muslim neighbors, they have the audacity to become outraged when challenged with that fact. Anti-Israel sentiment has now permeated deeply into Norwegian mainstream society, to...
Letter to VG: Will NTNU boycott Israel?
On November 12th NTNU, one of Norway’s most prestigious universities, decides whether or not to go to an academic boycott of Israel. Many Norwegians find this confusing. Why Israel? The two salient features of this country, the ones which distinguish it from its neighbors, are that it is democratic and jewish rather than authoritarian...
British professor writes to NTNU
On November 12th NTNU decides upon whether or not to boycott Israel, a country which scores higher on democracy than any of her neighboring states. A British professor has recently added his voice to NTNU rektor Torbjørn Digernes’ blog, bringing the number of comments up to fourty-eight. Dear Rector, I write to you as a...
NTNU academic questions virtue of boycott
Far from all NTNU academics are convinced of the necessity of imposing an academic boycott on Israel. Here is the stance of NTNU academic Bjørn K.Alsberg. Unauthorized translation: A boycott of Israel? (14.9.09, 13:37) An academic boycot of Israel? In May 2009 some employees at NTNU and HIST wrote an open letter to their...
Elbit supplies equipment to Norwegian airforce
Leader of the Center against Anti-Semitism Erez Uriely points out how ousting Elbit from the Oil fund was less than wise – entire article here. (In Norwegian) Elbit happens to be a supplier of technical equipment to far more than terror-prevention in Israel. Elbit is for example a supplier of high-tech equipment to the...
Ilan Pappe: “A big thank you, Kristin Halvorsen”
Many left-wing Norwegians find Ilan Pappe to be just about the smartest thing since cut cheese. And as for his book on the Ethnic Cleansing of Palesine – ah, blood and gore on almost every page. Of which there are not too many. All true, though! An affordable buy, nicely priced. Mr. Pappe now...
Finance Minister kicks Israeli company out of Pension Fund
The Norwegian Pension Fund is vast. It is placed in holdings throughout the globe. Jerusalem Post now alerts to how Minister of Finance Kristin Halvorsen (Socialist Left) has thrown the Israeli company Elbit out of the Pension Fund. See an unauthorized translation from Norwegian E24 below, here. The reason for the exclusion? The Pension...
DagenMagazinet: SV wants to stop NGO donations to Westbank, scrutinizes investements in Israel
This year Norway head the ITF. Norway is also one of UNRWA five largest sponsors, and UNRWA does not teach about the Holcaust at their schools. Meanwhile, StatoilHydro is looking to invest in Turkemenistan, while the red-green government is driving to stop Norwegian organizations from making donations and investing in Israel. The reason? Ah,...
JP: Firm denies allegations made by Norwegian NGO
From the JP: Norwatch – an “independent news service” that “conducts critical journalistic investigation n Norwegian businesses in developing countries” – claimed in an article on its Web site last week that BlackRock – a premier provider of global investment management, risk management and advisory services with assets under management totalling $1.373 trillion –...
Norwatch: Norway pulls out from investments in Westbank
Nils Butenschøn works at the Norwegian Centre for Human Rights and is considered by many to be one of Norway’s leading experts on the Middle East. While he is a fairly well known public figure, not many people know about how his vision upon assuming leadership of Palestinafronten in 1976: “the goal was to...
Norway and Israel – trade increases in spite of threats of boycott
In some circles there is a conspicious amount of talk about how important it is to boycott, out of all nations on earth, precisely Israel (see Boycott-category). Indeed on May 1st, Israel was the only country to be singled out for criticism by powerful LO (trade union conferderacy) leader Roar Flåthen. It is therefore...
Socialists call for academic boycott of Israel
Again the call for boycott, this time at NTNU and heralded through the debate pages in Adresseavisen.no – a regional daily catering to the Trondheim area – on June 19th. Academic boycott of Israel Employees and students at NTNU have followed the example of the University of Tromsø, and there are today two calls...
University employees call for boycott
On the Economist Unit of Intelligence Democracy Index, Israel rates as nr. 38. Have a look at the index yourself and see how other Middle Eastern states fare. Employees at two Norwegian universities have nonetheless singled out Israel. Again. Here is their call for boycott: (Source) Open letter to the boards of NTNU HIST...
Israel, Burma and the boycott campaign
Even as the anti-Israel lobby is mustering for boycott, the average Norwegian is increasingly questioning the wisdom of singeling Israel out for critizism. One enlightened reader of Dabladet, a Norwegian daily, writes in a letter which is as short as it is eloquent: Imports of processed wood from Burma has increased by 67 percent in...
University employees call for boycott of… Israel!
Tromsø is the biggest city in Northern Norway with approximately 54 000 inhabitants. It boasts a state of the art hospital and favors itself as ”the Paris of the north”. During winter Tromsø is as dark as death but in summer the city springs to life as the legitimate child of the midnight sun. All in all Tromsø has much to be proud...
Media claims: Little Norway duped and smeared by Israel
Hilde Henriksen Waage’s claims of Norway having fallen victim to an Israeli smear campaign have so far not met with massive resistance. The political left has after all told Norwegians about Israeli PR before, so what is one to believe? Even so, the fact that the boycott of Israel so far has been a...
PM thanks painter for Middle East effort
On Saturday the mayor of Trondheim applauded painter Håkon Gullvåg for the “brave” political commitment of his next exhibition, where he displays a painting of a blood-splattered Israeli flag and a 9 metres wide canvas titled “Requiem for the children of Gaza”. The film clip below is from the annual meeting of Trondheim Arbeiderparti on February...
Demonstrators attack police in Malmö, Sweden
The Swedish daily Aftonbladet reports that the demonstration in Malmö developed into a riot. Translated excerpt below: MALMÖ/STOCKHOLM. Approximately 6 000 people demonstrated today against the Davis Cup-match between Israel and Sverige. A riot developed when the march reached the Baltic sports-arena. Dyebombs, cobblestone and firecrackers were thrown against the police as demonstrators attempted...