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Photo: Adi Mazan
Ambassador Carsten Damsgaard
Photo: Adi Mazan
Photo: AFP
Muslim riots over Muhammad cartoons, 'wake up call for Denmark'
Photo: AFP

Danish envoy: Security wall hinders Israel PR efforts

Ambassador Carsten Damsgaard says ‘political issues dominating Israel’s image abroad; country is seen as being about bombs, terror, and that’s about it; stories about booming Israeli economy, despite conflict and five years of intifada – there is not much knowledge of this’

Danish ambassador to Israel Carsten Damsgaard said in a special interview with Ynet that Israel’s image abroad is dictated by political issues.

 

“The political issues are dominating Israel’s image abroad. Israel is perceived as being about bombs, terror, and that’s about it; the stories about the booming Israeli economy despite the conflict and the five years of intifada, the stories about the incredible innovations and research and development – the knowledge on this is limited,” Damsgaard said.

 

“We are trying to convince businessmen in Denmark that things are happening in Israel, and they are happening very fast. When we bring business people here they are positively surprised.”

 

'Wow, we did not expect this'

 

The Danish ambassador said the distorted view of Israel is mainly due to bad public relations during the intifada.

 

“Some of the things that have characterized the Israel's reactions to the terror bombings have been detrimental to its PR efforts; when people see the (West Bank security) wall on their TV screens – this is not good PR in any European country because of our recent history; a wall is not a good thing; it is not a good selling point,” he said.

 

“People in Denmark, like most people in Europe, have a very strong emotional reaction against these terrible terror events that Israel has had to endure for many years; but this has also characterized the country one that is in a constant state of conflict; the booming economy, the culture, the incredible tourism possibilities – all these are hidden.

 

“When Danish people come here they say, ‘wow, we did not expect this.’ They more or less expected to see a country in war. When you sit in Copenhagen and watch the news when there is a terror attack or a military operation, it is hard to imagine that there is a beach and culture here.

 

"Both Israelis and Israel are much better than their reputation may be. There isn't much knowledge in the outside world about what Israel is really about.

 

"I wasn't used to seeing soldiers on the streets with guns, but now I don't mind them anymore. I'm oblivious to them right now. I'm reminded of them when we have visitors who see them... and we explain (to them) that those are conscripts going back to mom."

 

The ambassador said he and his partner were also very surprised about the diversity, openness and warmness they've experienced here.

 

"We've never experienced anything like this anywhere else... it's something you can be very proud of, it's something that we will try to take a bit of it with us when we leave here".

 

How did you react when former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon fell into a coma?

 

I was shocked like everyone else. Just a month before his stroke the EU ambassadors met him for dinner; so it was very strange, shocking.

 

What is your take on the Muhammad cartoons affair? What can be learned from it?

 

The main lesson is that it’s very important to stick to your principles, such as freedom of speech; but it was a wake up call for Denmark, because what was published in a provincial Danish newspaper became the main story on all Arab TV stations. But we have to defend and fight for our principles; this doesn’t mean that you can stand on street corners and shout offensive things at other people.

 


פרסום ראשון: 06.08.06, 18:45
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