"There is something slightly troubling over this anecdote. Can we reasonable suspect that Israeli ambassadors would establish a tactic of regularly accusing their host nations of being Europe’s most anti-Israeli country? And why, in a book of 342 pages, does Støre only make such an observation of Israel ?"Discrediting and poking fun at Israel has become a European speciality.
Source: piece in Norway, Israel and the Jews blog
"Jonas Gahr Støre [photo] is Norway’s Minister of Foreign Affairs. In November 2008 he published a book on Norway’s foreign policy - "Making a difference" (Å gjøre en forskjell, Cappelen Damm). On page 136 in the chapter "The Middle East" he writes the following (unauthorised translations):
"During my first meeting with Israel’s ambassador to Norway, Myriam Shomrat, the Israeli message was clear: Norway is the country with the strongest anti-Israeli attitudes in Europe. I stood in doubt and wondered about the analysis. Some months later I discussed the Middle East with my Irish colleague in Dublin. I quoted the Israeli ambassador. "That must be wrong,” said the Irishman, “The Israeli ambassador here in this country says that Ireland is the worst!". I think others have received the message."
There is something slightly troubling over this anecdote. Can we reasonable suspect that Israeli ambassadors would establish a tactic of regularly accusing their host nations of being Europe’s most anti-Israeli country? And why, in a book of 342 pages, does Støre only make such an observation of Israel ? Be that as it may, visit Wikipedia’s section on Støre and you find the following:
"He also makes an amusing revelation of Israeli diplomatic tactics in Europe. In her first meeting with Støre the Israeli ambassador Myriam Shomrat stated that Norway is the country with the strongest anti-Israel attitudes in Europe. Støre doubted this, and talked about it with his Irish colleague in Dublin. He could tell of how Israel’s ambassador had said precisely the same thing about Ireland."
It is unfortunate that Norway’s Minister of Foreign Affairs be quoted in this fashion. One of the salient features of Wikipedia is that it allows users to edit its contents. This site proposes that Støre makes use of this feature as soon as possible."
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1 comment:
Well, for a smallish country with a fast rising percentage of Muslim population , Mr Store found a pretentious name for his book. I wonder, though, how much difference his snooty remark could make.
Especially when the Norwegian attitude toward Israel is widely known and disseminated. Oh, well...
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