For some, the 87th anniversary of Kristallnacht—the 1938 Nazi pogrom against Jews—was simply another opportunity to bash Israel over its war against Hamas terrorists.
Norway’s left-wing prime minister, Jonas Gahr Støre, was no exception on Sunday, reportedly turning down an opportunity to attend an event organised by the country’s Jewish community and capitalising on commemorations as an opportunity for political messaging.
Støre attended an event run by the state-funded ‘Norway Centre Against Racism,’ which was supposed to be about “fighting racism” but ended up “focusing” on the situation in Gaza. This is no surprise, given that the organisation has long believed Israeli leaders have been behind “crimes against humanity in Gaza.”
Israel’s foreign ministry strongly criticised the PM for his “affront to the memory of the Holocaust’s victims—especially the more than 750 Norwegian Jews who were deported and murdered by the Nazis and their local collaborators.”
The Norwegian prime minister, Støre, is setting new records of moral depravity, anti-Israel hostility, and antisemitism…
By rejecting the requests of Norway’s Jewish community and joining the event, the prime minister sends a dangerous message that even the memory of Holocaust victims can be used for political gain, betraying his government’s pledge to fight Holocaust distortion.
Dani Dayan, who is chairman of the Yad Vashem world centre for Holocaust research, added that “I don’t remember a European leader engaging in Holocaust denigration as Norwegian PM Støre did…”
He misused the anniversary of the November Pogrom to partner with those that seek to leave the Jewish People stateless and defenseless again.
And Norwegian journalist Rebecca Mistereggen joked: “Nothing says ‘never again’ like shouting down Jews, again.”
Støre had anticipated criticism, saying at the alternative event that many Norwegian Jews “made it clear they did not wish to be here today.” Attempting to win back support, he added:
As prime minister, I want to say that my government will do everything possible to protect, support and stand by Norway’s Jews and all minorities. Norway must be a country where one can proudly say: I am Jewish.
Unfortunately for him, few seem convinced.
