Knut Hamsun: row over Norway honor for pro-Nazi Nobel laureate

"Far worse than these ageing sins of a beloved madman are the anti-Semitic incidents which we see in contemporary Norway. And equally bad - the growing consciousness of how Israel is regularly demonized by prominent Norwegians for no good reason whatsoever. This site says Knut Hamsun be damned, he is of no political significance. But oh Lord, do give us newspapermen who are able to cover the Middle East in an adult and proper manner."

Source: article in Norway, Israel and the Jews blog

The Israeli newspaper Haaretz has published an article under the title "Row grows over Norway honor for pro-Nazi Nobel laureate". We are of course talking about Knut Hamsun, the "from rags to riches" author who in the winter of his life cast his lot in with Adolf Hitler, about whom he wrote an obituary on the eve of Nazi-Germany’s defeat. In his article Haaretz journalist Cnaan Liphshiz quotes among others an analyst for the Anti-Defamation League:

"No government should honor Nazis, their collaborators or their sympathizers," said Carole Nuriel, an analyst for the Anti-Defamation League. The ADL drafted a statement on Norway in consultation with the country’s Jewish community, noting that in the framework of commemoration, the Norwegian government was "highlighting Hamsun’s moral failure, not downplaying it."

On the other hand Bjørn Svenungsen from the Norwegian Foreign Ministry emphasizes how:

… honoring Hamsun is "a commemoration of one of Norway’s most important authors." He said all parties involved have criticized Hamsun’s Nazi past. The celebration is "a tribute to Hamsun’s role in European literature, not an acceptance of his political views," Svenungsen added. "The event is also used to remember the massive criticism of Hamsun after the 1945 liberation."

Nazi collaborator and great author

The issue of Hamsun - Nazi collaborator and great author - was quite recently covered in the New York Times as well. On February 27th, 2009, Walter Gibbs (Norwegian Nobel Laureate…) included the following quotes:

"Hamsun wrote great novels, but they are completely overshadowed by his behavior as a Hitler lackey," said Jo Benkow, 84, a former president of the Norwegian parliament. "At least for my generation, it’s outrageous to give more honors. He won the Nobel Prize in 1920. That should be enough."

In Gibbs’ article, Jo Benkow is countered by a famous Norwegian Hamsun biogropher:

"We can’t help loving him, though we have hated him all these years," said Ingar Sletten Kolloen, author of "Dreamer & Dissenter," a Hamsun biography. "That’s our Hamsun trauma. He’s a ghost that won’t stay in the grave."

In response to the recent Haaretz article, several Norwegian newspapers have today run the NTB (Norwegian News Agency) article "Jewish criticism of Hamsun celebration" (Jødisk kritikk av Hamsun-markering).

In the end, all three of the abovementioned articles are the same. Is it at all possible to celebrate an author who sympathised with the Nazi-regime ? The only new voice worthwhile of comment is Manfred Gerstenfeld of the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, quoted both in the Haeretz and NTB article, who claims that the national celebration of Knut Hamsun is just "the tip of the iceberg". This is the correct take on the issue of Hamsun. Like a score of other incidents and events which have taken place in Norway lately, this matter of Hamsun is, in isolation, not of such tremendous importance. Knut Hamsun was mad as a hatter, what do you expect of him?

Far worse than these ageing sins of a beloved madman are the anti-Semitic incidents which we see in contemporary Norway. And equally bad - the growing consciousness of how Israel is regularly demonized by prominent Norwegians for no good reason whatsoever.

This site says Knut Hamsun be damned, he is of no political significance. But oh Lord, do give us newspapermen who are able to cover the Middle East in an adult and proper manner.

- The "riddle" of Knut Hamsun

Geneva exhibit of Russian avant-garde art celebrates Jewish contribution to European culture

"This exhibition beautifully demonstrates the exceptional contribution of Jews to European art and culture. Chagall himself famously noted that 'If I were not a Jew...I wouldn’t have been an artist', yet few truly understood that his brush was guided by his strong Jewish identity. We hope that the works on display by internationally-recognized masters will inspire tolerance and understanding also encourage our youth to take pride in their Jewish roots as many of these artists demonstrated through the medium of art." (Moshe Kantor, President of the European Jewish Congress)

Marc Chagall's Clown Musician, one of the three pieces by Chagall in the Museum of Avant-Garde Mastery (MAGMA) in Moscow. The painting is on display in Geneva in the framewok of the exhibition "My homeland is within my soul: art without broders".

GENEVA (EJP)---The Jewish Contribution to Art and European Culture will be highlighted on Thursday in Geneva with the opening of an exhibition of one of the world’s most important collections of 20th Century Russian avant-garde art.

"My Homeland is Within My Soul, Art Without Borders: The Jewish Contribution to Art and European Culture" will open in the Swiss city in the company of European government officials, members of Parliament, and the diplomatic corps at the Palais des Nations which headquarters the European seat of the United Nations.

The exhibit, which is the first-ever public presentation of the collection of the Museum of Avant-Garde Mastery ("MAGMA"), features original works by internationally-recognized Jewish art masters - including Chagall and Rothko.

Through the works themselves, the exhibit aims to promote tolerance and cultural values in contemporary society. The works are living examples of both the Jewish contribution to art and culture and European tolerance and acceptance. Although many of the exhibits were created with strong Jewish identities, their gift to European culture is a shining example of minority contribution to the multicultural and tolerant landscape within the continent.

Underlying this, the venue for the exhibit launch was deliberately chosen as the Palais de Nations/the United Nations, the heart of European diplomacy and worldwide symbol of efforts to foster a tolerant atmosphere. The art and artworks featured by the Museum and the exhibit focus on the concept of "art without borders" – the power of free expression of ideas, possible only in the atmosphere of tolerance, understanding and mutual respect among people of various nationalities and backgrounds.

The exhibit, which opened on June 11 and will run through July 17, is an example of cooperation between the United Nations Director General in Geneva, the Russian Embassy, and Moshe Kantor, Chairman and Founder of the MAGMA Museum and President of the European Jewish Congress (EJC).

"This exhibition beautifully demonstrates the exceptional contribution of Jews to European art and culture," said Kantor.

"Chagall himself famously noted that 'If I were not a Jew... I wouldn’t have been an artist', yet few truly understood that his brush was guided by his strong Jewish identity," Kantor added.

"We hope that the works on display by internationally-recognized masters will inspire tolerance and understanding also encourage our youth to take pride in their Jewish roots as many of these artists demonstrated through the medium of art."

The exhibit will feature 40 artworks from such masters as Mark Chagall, Chaim Soutine, Amedeo Modigliani, Mark Rothko, Leon Bakst, Alexander Tyshler, Jacques Lipchitz, Viktor Pivovarov, Ilya Kabakov, Erik Bulatov, Solomon Telingater, David Shterenberg, and other important Jewish artists who have made a lasting contribution to world art and culture.

Viktor Pivovarov, The Fifth Floor, 2005

Moshe Kantor shows a painting from Chaim Soutine, Confectioner of Cagnes, 1922-1923, during the opening of the exhibit in Geneva on 11 June.

Ten years ago, Moshe Kantor, President of the European Jewish Congress, came up with the idea of establishing the Museum of Avant-Garde Mastery and became its founder.

Source: article by in Yossi Lempkowicz in EJP

European Union document scraps Quartet demands

"One senior Israeli diplomatic official noted that the EU foreign ministers did not decide to scrap the upgrade decision, as was being advocated by Belgium and Luxembourg, but rather to drag their feet in its implementation."

In what is perceived in Jerusalem as a mistaken effort to give Hamas room to maneuver, the EU's 27 foreign ministers, in a statement issued Monday, did not call, as in the past, for Hamas to forswear terrorism, recognize Israel or accept previous PLO agreements with Israel.

Government sources in Jerusalem said France led the efforts to keep what has become known as the Quartet's three conditions on Hamas from being included in the European Council's conclusions on the Middle East peace process.

Instead, the statement said the foreign ministers expressed "continued encouragement for inter-Palestinian reconciliation behind [Palestinian Authority] President Mahmoud Abbas and support for the mediation efforts by Egypt and the Arab League."

The foreign ministers called "on all Palestinians to find common ground, based on nonviolence, in order to facilitate reconstruction in Gaza and the organization of elections."

The move to keep the three conditions out of the resolutions comes amid mounting concern in Jerusalem that Europe is slowly moving away from the three conditions on Hamas, which have been adopted both by the Quartet and the UN Security Council. According to diplomatic sources, the French were trying to give Hamas "a way out," and felt that if the conditions were not always mentioned every statement, it might give the Islamist organization a chance to soften its positions and perhaps give a boost to Egyptian-brokered talks between Fatah and Hamas.

Upgrading of ties between EU and Israel on hold

The European foreign ministers issued another statement regarding Israel on Tuesday, this one following the EU Association meeting the day before with Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, in which they essentially said the decision from last year to upgrade ties with Israel would remain in place, but that no steps toward implementing it would be taken at this point.

In December, the EU's foreign ministers approved a significant upgrade in the union's relationship with Israel, including a political upgrade that would include ad hoc summit meetings between Israel's prime minister and all EU heads of government, something that has never taken place before. It also called for Israel's foreign minister to meet with all 27 EU foreign ministers three times a year, the inclusion of Israel in EU peacekeeping forces and for an EU commitment to help Israel better integrate into UN agencies. The upgrade would also enable Israeli participation in a wide variety of EU programs that are currently closed to it.

But, as one senior European diplomatic official said on Tuesday, the upgrade remained in the "in-box," and would not move forward until the EU was satisfied with Israeli progress on the peace process - something not currently the case. The upgrade was essentially frozen during Operation Cast Lead, and has stayed in that state ever since.

Nevertheless, one senior Israeli diplomatic official noted that the EU foreign ministers did not decide to scrap the upgrade decision, as was being advocated by Belgium and Luxembourg, but rather to drag their feet in its implementation. The Arab countries have for months been lobbying against the upgrade.
"Despite efforts of some countries to cancel what was already agreed upon, their efforts did not succeed," the official said. "Europe repeated its commitment to the upgrade, and we will continue to work toward implementing it, hopefully in the near future."


Source: article by Herb Keinon in JPost

- EU won't upgrade its ties with Israel and the usual cacophony
- Dutch government split on Israel ties
- Geert Wilders: EU is not Israel's friend

German trade union head against anti-Israel boycotts

"Reacting to the hostile language of the anti-Israeli trade union resolutions, Sommer said at that time, "The slogans of the anti-Israeli boycott measures are an embarrassing reminder of the Nazi rallying cry, 'Don't buy at Jewish stores.'"

Confederation of German Trade Unions (DGB) President Michael Sommer announced his support Thursday for a new labor-based group, TULIP, that aims to stop trade union-sponsored efforts to boycott Israel.

Speaking at a joint Histadrut and DGB event in Berlin entitled "A reliable partnership," Histadrut Labor Federation Chairman Ofer Eini said it "is a bad phenomenon" when labor unions declare a boycott against Israel because it "damages the workers organizations" among Palestinians and Israelis.

He added that "TULIP is very important for us" and asked his counterpart Sommer for support at the event, which was sponsored by the German-Israeli friendship society of Berlin-Potsdam.
TULIP (Trade Unions Linking Israel and Palestine) was launched in April and is led by union officials from three continents - Paul Howes, national secretary of the Australian Workers Union; Stuart Appelbaum, president of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (US/Canada); and Michael Leahy, general secretary of Community, a British trade union.

Sommer, who is considered a staunch ally of Israel and its trade union movement, told The Jerusalem Post that he supports the TULIP initiative and will propose an affiliation with the group at next week's DGB executive board meeting.

Ulrike Sommer, wife of DGB president Sommer, is an active member in the Berlin-Potsdam chapter of the German-Israeli friendship society. Jochen Feilcke, a former Christian Democratic Union party MP and president of the local Berlin-Potsdam DIG, moderated the panel with Eini and Sommer. Sommer's declaration to reject anti-Israel boycott resolutions comes as no surprise to trade unionists because he has a solid track record in combating international and domestic calls to isolate Israel. [...]

Sommer said he is a proponent of the German-Israel "special relationship" and rejects the calls for a "return to normal relations."

"We have a latent form of anti-Semitism in this society." said Sommer, adding that the German union movement views itself as "fighter of anti-Semitism." He cited the oft-heard statement that, "We are not against the Jews, but Israel" as an area where the public needs to be sensitized in overcoming prejudice.

Rising anti-Zionism and anti-Israel boycott measures among such trade union leaders within the Irish Congress of Trade Union, the University College Union (the largest academic union in England), and the Scottish Trades Union Congress helped fuel TULIP's founding statement of criticism which said: "A number of those unions have called for boycotts and sanctions directed against Israel, and only against Israel. They are attempting to demonize the Jewish state, to deny it legitimacy, and to whip up hatred against it. Sometimes that hatred even spills over into anti-Semitism. Those unions are wrong - terribly wrong.'"

Source: article by Benjamin Weinthal in in TJP

- UK pro-Palestinian group accused of hypocrisy

EU won't upgrade its ties with Israel and the usual cacophony

Unsurprising decision, attended by the usual European cacophony from the good friends and the not so good friends of Israel.

uropean Union foreign ministers welcomed on Monday Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's endorsement of the goal of establishing a Palestinian state alongside Israel as expressed in his Bar Ilan speech on Sunday evening, but said it was not enough to raise EU-Israel ties to a higher level, Reuters reported.

The ministers, who were due to meet Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman later on Monday, questioned the preconditions cited by Netanyahu for establishing a Palestinian state, as well as his defense of Jewish settlements in the West Bank.

"That's good but it's only a first step," Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt said before the talks in Luxembourg.

French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner also said that Netanyahu's speech was "not sufficient." "Nothing was said on the settlements ... but this stopping of the settlements is essential," said Kouchner, who in an earlier statement rejected any preconditions to peace negotiations.

The EU and Israel have agreed in principle to upgrade an "association agreement" defining their ties, but the 27-nation bloc has put the upgrade on a hold, and says it wants a firm commitment from Israel to seek a so-called two-state peace accord with the Palestinians.

Other EU ministers joined US President Barack Obama in expressing support for Netanyahu's "endorsement." Netanyahu's endorsement of a Palestinian state is a "step in the right direction," Czech Foreign Minister Jan Kohout, whose country holds the EU presidency, said on Monday.
Kohout added that while the prime minister's comments on Sunday needed more analysis "the acceptance of a Palestinian state is there."

Kohout spoke to reporters upon arrival at a session of EU foreign ministers who were meeting with Lieberman.

Source: TJP

The Netherlands ...
- Dutch government split on Israel ties
- Geert Wilders: EU is not Israel's friend

Dutch government split on Israel ties

Ruling center-right party supports upgrading European Union's relations with Israel despite standstill in peace talks with Palestinians. Labor oppose, saying it would be 'completely ridiculous to give Israel presents now'

Source: article by Hagar Mizrachi @ YNet

The Dutch government is spilt over whether relations between the European Union and Israel should be upgraded. The Labor party, headed by Finance Minister Wouter Bos, opposed stepping up political and commercial ties with Israel, days before a European Parliament session matter slated for next week.

Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant reported on Thursday that the center-right Christian parties, including the ruling Christian Democratic Appeal party headed by Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende, support Foreign Minister Maxime Jacques Marcel Verhagen's [see: Dutch Foreign Minister deplores revived antisemitism in Europe] pro-Israel stance.

Labor, the country's second largest party, on the other hand, demand that any upgrading of ties with Israel should depend on the continuation of the political peace process with the Palestinians.
Labor member Marcel van Dam, who is currently visiting Israel and the Palestinian Authority as part of a European delegation, said it would be "completely ridiculous to give Israel presents now".

Foreign Minister Verhagen is also slated to visit Israel and the Gaza Strip later on in the month, to evaluate for himself the progress of efforts to rebuild the Strip.

Verhagen has also been receiving criticism from home. Last week, former Prime Minister Dries van Agt and former Foreign Minister Hans van den Broek, both members of Verhagen's Christian Democratic Appeal party, published an op-ed, in which they adamantly opposed supporting Israel.

Israel must show 'earnestness'

The two expressed an opinion similar to that of the finance minister, saying that Israel should first show "earnestness" with regards to the establishment of a Palestinian state.

The Christian Union party, which is the third most important in the Dutch coalition, is now working to prevent the application of economic pressure on Israel that has been demanded by the Labor party. According to Christian Union members, improving economic ties with Israel and the Palestinians may bring the vision of peace closer.

Arie Slob, the party's representative in the lower house of the Netherlands' parliament, published an article on Friday calling the move "a primitive and authoritarian attempt" to impose a peace agreement on Israel.

"The Palestinians are not living up to the terms set by the international community, including renouncing violence and recognizing Israel. Any attempt to pressure Israel now will only lead to a 'three-state' solution," he wrote. [...]

Al Haq: Europe funding anti-Israeli NGO

"Al Haq is a leader in the NGO "lawfare" and BDS movement (boycotts, divestment and sanctions) against Israel. The NGO’s funders include many European governments, NGOs, and international foundations, (Norway, Sweden, Ireland, Christian Aid, Diakonia, Ford Foundation, Open Society Institute)."

NGO Monitor: Al Haq-supported Lawfare in Canada

On July 8, 2008, the Bil’in Village Council, with the assistance of the Palestinian NGO "Al Haq", filed suit in Quebec against three Canadian corporations involved in construction projects in the town of Kiryat Sefer (Modi’in Ilit) in Israel. The village council and Al Haq claim that these corporations “are aiding, abetting, assisting and conspiring with Israel, the Occupying Power in the West Bank, in carrying out an illegal act” and acting in violation of the Geneva Conventions. A preliminary hearing on the lawsuit is scheduled for the end of June 2009. This case is one of a series initiated by Al Haq as part of its strategy to exploit Western courts for political goals ("lawfare"). Al Haq has also filed two suits (2006 and 2009) against British government officials to stop weapons sales to Israel. The 2006 suit was dismissed, and the 2009 suit is pending, but will likely be dismissed as well.

The Bil’in Village Council is also represented by Israeli attorney and political activist Michael Sfard. He is the legal advisor for the NGO known as Yesh Din, is on the legal team for Al-Haq’s Shawan Jabarin (see below), as well as for Peace Now and other groups.

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Medical Aid for Palestine (MAP – no formal relationship with Medical Aid for Palestinians) is using its tax-exempt status to solicit donations to “finance[e] a legal fund to fight the court case.” MAP receives funding from CIDA (click "donations") and from the Quebec Secretariat for International Aid (click “donations”). The organization also signed the original Palestinian Civil Society call for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions against Israel in 2005 (#65). Additionally, Orna Ben-Naftali, an executive board member of B’Tselem, contributed an "Expert Report and Opinion" in support of the lawsuit.

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Background on Al Haq:
Al Haq is a leader in the NGO "lawfare" and BDS movement (boycotts, divestment and sanctions) against Israel. The NGO’s funders include many European governments, NGOs, and international foundations, (Norway, Sweden, Ireland, Christian Aid, Diakonia, Ford Foundation, Open Society Institute).

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Read the full NGO Monitor Report here

Swedish Christian NGO Diakonia's anti-Israeli activities