"I'm seriously worried about the situation for Jews in Norway and especially in Oslo right now," Joel Ystebø, Member of the Norwegian Parliament for the Christian Democratic Party, told The Jerusalem Post on Wednesday.
"What worries me now is that there is higher acceptance for antisemitic behavior and rhetoric and hate against other groups. I think that situation is pretty serious."
The conversation came just days after anti-Israel protesters yelled “child killers” through speaker phones at participants of an Israeli Independence Day celebration - for which Ystebø was present - in Oslo on Sunday.
Videos shared with The Jerusalem Post show scores of pro-Palestine activists waving banners with slogans such as “Death to the IDF” and “Zionists are terrorists,” while shouting “intifada revolution,” “No Zionists in our streets,” and “child killers” at the several hundred pro-Israel celebrants.
The chanting was also directed at the many dissident Iranian attendees. Videos showed chants of “No one will protect you, f***ing Iranians!”
Norwegian Jewish podcaster Henrick Beckheim told the Post that a guard rushed over and told him to stop filming “because it might provoke them.” However, the pro-Palestine protesters were allowed to continue yelling unhindered, the megaphone almost drowning out the speeches.
Ystebo said that it is these different standards and approaches applied to pro-Israel protesters and not to pro-Palestine ones that concern him the most.
He wrote to the justice minister shortly after the incident to question what was going to be done “to ensure that the police intervene against and follow up on threats and hateful speech in the public sphere.”
“Although freedom of expression is strongly protected in Norway, the law sets limits on speech that involves threats, harassment, or glorification of violence,” he said in a public question to the minister.
He told the Post that he has also challenged the Justice and Public Security Minister Astri Aas-Hansen about this. He asked her to confirm what the government accepts when it comes to antisemitism.
“I think the problem is in the bigger picture,” he told the Post. “First of all, the police are working on orders from the authorities, and the justice minister and public security can easily be clearer and more aware of how [the lack of policing of protests] is influencing the Jewish community, and how it also causes a lot of fear in that community.
An unbalanced approach toward Israel
“But I think in general, I’m also worried about how this unbalanced approach, this administration, especially the secretary of state, has had when it comes to the Middle East and Israel. Because when you are having that kind of approach, it makes it a lot harder for the Jewish community in Norway.”
THE POST asked Ystebo whether he thinks the pro-Palestine crew’s harassment of Iranian dissidents during Sunday’s protest will make the issue be taken more seriously.
“I hope so, even though it’s bad that hate against the Jewish community has not been taken seriously enough on its own. I hope that this alliance between the Jewish community and the [dissident] Iranian people will make more impact, because there are more people on the same side, fighting for peace and freedom in the region.
“But it’s sad if the harassment against the Iranian people is something that the government is taking more seriously.”
The Norwegian government has set out money to protect the Jewish community and fight antisemitism under its Action Plan Against Antisemitism, but Ystebo thinks it isn’t doing enough.
He told the Post that the action plan “has its merits,” but that it is hard to ascertain its efficacy when “[the Norwegian] administration is so unbalanced and biased.”
“They are always trying to criticize Israel for [the situation in the Middle East], and that demonization influences also the Jewish community, and I think that creates a culture where it’s more accepted for that kind of antisemitic behavior,” he said
While he believes the situation for Jews in Oslo is more severe, the debate is polarized and Palestinian activist groups are much more active, he said, it is still bad in several cities.
"Personally, I'm from Bergen, and that's also a city where there's been a lot of antisemitism, and also, in Trondheim."
Many of these issues don’t receive coverage in Norwegian media.
Ystebo said this is because mainstream media in Norway has been “very biased” when it comes to the coverage of the situation in the Middle East, and when it comes to antisemitism.
“Our largest TV network, NRK, has been very biased for many years when it comes to the conflict and the coverage of Israel. And that makes it harder for the Jews, and it also influences our culture and our political debate,” he said.
“I’ve been worried about that for a long time, and right now I feel that it makes it harder for the community and for friends of Israel, but that makes it just much more important to be bold when it comes to these debates and this issue,” he added.
Ystebo said he will continue to advocate for Jews and Israel in the Norwegian political sphere.
“It’s a privilege to be at the center of Israel and the Jewish community issues in Norwegian policy, and when it’s hard and when the climate is rough and polarized, it just makes it more important to be brave in this public debate,” he said.
“Of course, it’s also a tough job when it comes to media coverage, but it’s much harder for the Jewish community, who really feel it’s close to their heart and also are experiencing fear and threats,” he added.
“It’s just important to show that there are friends of Israel and the Jewish community also in the parliament,” he concluded.