Business
Norway: Socialists maintain Israel boycott
Ynetnews
Published: 10.01.06, 21:11
Comment Comment
Print comment Print comment
Back to article
59 Talkbacks for this article
1. Boycotts are double edged weapons
Robert Goldman ,   cooper city Florida   (01.10.06)
No more products from Norway in my house! No more Norweagin salmon on my grill or sardines..... Errrrrrrr that about does it for their products. ;-)
2. it stinks
Jack Hunter ,   Melbourne Australia   (01.11.06)
Israel should send this woman a ton of disinfectant to wash off the stench of hypocrisy that emanates from this halvorsen character
3. Who cares
Elle ,   NYC   (01.11.06)
what this dhimmi of the year thinks?
4. Boycott of Israeli goods
Alex Atkinson ,   Northern Ireland, UK   (01.11.06)
For many, many years Norwegian socialists have not had to endure any recognisable hardship. They continue to live at peace in the lap of luxury. If they had to endure the terrorist murder of family members or friends, endure continual bombings, endure unfounded demonisation by the world's media, endure continual threats from 22 adjacent enemy countries - they would be squealing for help and support rather than propagating the boycott of goods from a suffering Israeli people. It's easy for them to generate hatred against the Israelis - they are not under threat in any shape or form.
5. Norway 'punishing' US companies as well
R Saus ,   Montreal   (01.11.06)
This series of articles greatly interested me (thank you ynet), I did some surfing and found out the following. The finance minister currently lunching on her own two feet has this week also taken punitive actions against several large US companies in her official role. COMPANIES affected include: Boeing, Honeywell, Northrop Grumman, United Tech, BAE systems. This action represents about 500 Million US dollars of DIVESTEMENT ( a word I'm sure many of us are familar with here) from those companies, from the 2nd largest state fund in the world because the companies (us based Internationals) are involved in nuclear research and weapons development. Norway is a NATO member state, but the popular theme seems to be targetting US and Israeli companies, products and services. I'm not impressed, how about you? I am EAGER to see Norway's GOVT take the LEADING role in isolating the Iranian administration going forward in light of this news, since it is apparently critical to Norway to prevent support of Nuclear weapons development, to such an extent that they are BLACKLISTING the biggest US based internationals in the defence field! So either the Norwegians as I see it spearhead the isolation of Iran in the INTL community, or Norway is a nation of complete hyppocrites. I'll be eager to see how Norway's new govt. starts voting and voicing in the UN from this point on. The boycott has really raised Norway's profile and not in a good way. I would never have known all this, and my views on the country are changing by the day. There's more that was of interest to me, the Norwegians are apparently also waffling on their JSF (Joint Strike Fighter) international commitments, they are supposed to be levell III partners in the program, the plane is incidentally being contracted also to Northrop Grumman (DIVESTED). Nice, the problem is Norway doesn't seem to be getting enough BIG CHUNKS of the weapons development contracts for the fighter! (MONEY) They're looking to bail and go to the eurofighter instead. *Impressive* the morality of the Norwegians, with great allies like these, one begins to wonder who needs enemies? And I dont care if it is fringe, loonies commies, socialists whatever... This is what Norway is up too these days. Shafting the US and Israel, while turning a blind eye to Palestinians Terrorists, and Murderous maniacs seeking nuclear weapons!! Oh how enlightened indeed. This follows the long row between the EU, US, Russia etc with Norway over its mass dumping of low valued cheap salmon on the INTL market which has devasted fisheries, on top of Norways' irresponsible own fish farming industries which are devastating wild salmon stocks due to negligence and poor production oversight. Not impressed as you preach to the world, it's all hype and BS. When exactly are Norwegians going to live up to the standards they are shoving down other nation's throats?
6. Norway is mainly antisemitic
Alex ,   US   (01.11.06)
And so are the other Scandinavian nations. It was a common knowledge in the Soviet Union, where I happen to be born and grow up. I also happen to spend about 6 months in a Israeli kibbutz back in the days, and there were a lot of Scandinavians - Norwegians, Danes and Finns. Since now they are still young enough to be that idiot's children, I really hope that the younger generation in Norway has a more down-to-earth views of Israel and Jews
7. Hello from Norway
Support israel ,   Vest Agder   (01.11.06)
I perfectly understand the anger over this. There is a great majority in Norway who is VERY angery theese days. Its seems like many of you think that all norwegias are pro- boycott of Israel because this woman has called for this boycott. Im sure many israelis know that there is lots of friends from Norway. We are one of the smallest countries in Europe but still the country who send most people to selebrate the sukkot. We are sending more voluteers for services in Israel than many much bigger countries in Europe and besides that one of the best and biggest pro-israeli web sites is located in Norway (miff.no) so it's NOT TRUE that all norwegians are boycotting Israel. This socialist paty have extreme meanings, and can not represent the norwegian papulation!!
8. Let's boycott Norway!
Daisy ,   USA   (01.11.06)
Never mind. There's nothing there worth having.
9. socialist lunatic who is NOT speaking for the ppl
F Eriksen ,   Warsaw, Poland   (01.11.06)
of norway in any way what so ever. She is in fact not even speaking for the government in this case. But, it is true, she is indeed a hypocrit, but then again, isnt that a prerequisite for becoming a socialist? as a norwegian myself I am ashamed of these statements, and it hurts me to think of the signals it is (obviously) sending to the world. I am however happy that i left the country in time, before these airheads came to power.
10. #5 Boycott
see and hear ,   Norway   (01.11.06)
Thank you for your pices of information,I was not aware of all of it. The way I see the USA and Israel are beeing handeld in Norway: USA can not do anything right,they do not meen other nations well.We know best.How can we ?We havent seen any big problems since WW2.Israel is to blame for everything that is wrong in the middel east.If there would be a boycott of Israel,then I would be proven right. The way we look at the rest of the world I mostly blame on jounalists,they are not good enough to ask difficult questions.If I like to follow what happens in the world I have to do the job myself. Jonas Gar Støre is a nice man,but 1 of his advicers in the department is allied with Halvorsen in the boycott of Israel.She is a young labourparty woman.She was not allowed to enter Israel-she came to protest against somthing . Why are the americans so hated around the world ?I know they protect Israel by being a frend.Is one answer that they are blocking the way for those who want to destroy Israel and kill all the people.? Back to the story - watch the government when they try to "drive two cars"
11. #8
Support Israel ,   Vest Agder   (01.11.06)
Hello Daisy. Sad to understand that you still see all of us norwegains in this perspective, even some of us have tryed to explain so many times. Time to maby understand what we are writing? This socialist part had 6% of the votes in last election and they do not represent the population of Norway.
12. #11; I didn't mean to offend you or decent Norwegians.
Daisy ,   USA   (01.11.06)
I only include people like Larsen and Guttord in my statements. I'm sure their is a large number of people in Norway who support Israel and America. I like most non-Jewish Americans support Israel and am very vocal about it. Too bad most pro-Israel Europeans aren't.
13. #8
Haakon ,   Drammen, Norway   (01.11.06)
Hi Daisy, Kristin Halvorsen, the chairwoman of Socialistic Left, was the Norwegian contribution to the Dhimmi of the year contest in 2005, see Norwegian website http://www.antipsykopat.info/content/view/256/61/ Many people in Norway understand that Socialistic Left is a disaster for Norway, and are working and praying for a crisis to have the government replaced. Further, they only represent 6 percent of the votes in last election and has never been in the government before. Hopefully, this was their first and last try... I can understand anger with her policy, but boycotting Norway will never be a solution to the real problem. The real problem is to unmask the many faces of antisemitism.
14. #12
Support Israel ,   Vest Agder   (01.11.06)
Thank god that many americans support Israel and are proud of doing so. This will be the last time we have extremsists in the government of Norway!
15. Weird
Martin   (01.11.06)
To me the real mystery with the story is more about Norwegian domestic politics rather than what she said which can actually be expected from a nutcase like Halvorsen. As far as I've understood she belongs to what is in reality the Norwegian communist party. With her political believes naturally she spews hate towards marketliberal countries like the US or against the middle east's only democracy - Israel. This is as expected just as it pretty much is from any communist party member all over the world. What is truely amazing though is that one of the richest countries in the world puts a communist as a finance minister. As the Norwegians on here already said her party only got 6% of the votes so in no way she represents the voice of the people. But how can one put a loon like that in the position as financeminister when mountain- or fjord-minister would have been perfect new titles for her.
16. a puff of logic
john ,   oslo   (01.11.06)
The observant reader of this talkback has probably noticed by now, that this discussion has nothing to do with Israel whatsoever. It is an internal Norwegian quarrel between the labour coalition and the conservatives. What amount of antisamitism you find in this nonsense is all up to you. If you feel victim of this "immense Norwegian campaign to shame Israel or Jews" - then you are desperately mistaken. And by that, I suddenly realise that I am boycotting this talkback - and disappear in a puff of logic ; )
17. Norwegian anit-semitism
Tom ,   Norway   (01.11.06)
A few norwegians here are trying to convince everyone else that there are "only a few that supports this". As a matter of fact, that is wrong. It is easy to see the tendencies among young people in Norway, who have grown up in a rich safe place, the Israel and the US are the bad guys. People that are interested should also take a closer look to the relationship between Y.Arafat and the norwegian left the last decades. Sadly, I`m quite sure that most people in Norway blame Israel and the US(??) for everything that`s going on in the middle east.
18. Why not a boycott of China etc?
Meir Moses   (01.11.06)
Surely Iran, China, Pakistan etc. etc. are equally deserving of a boycott? What about Poland, the USA and other Allies in Iraq as occupation forces?
19. Norwegian Boycott
Jack de Lowe ,   Raanana, Israel   (01.11.06)
Not only have we cancelled a planned trip to Norway this summer, I have written to the embassy, tourist ministry, ministry of foreign affars, and many large companies in Norway. Trade is a 2 way street and as one of the world's major exporters, Norway should be concerned that they are putting their own economy in jeopardy should the boycott proposed by the Norwegian Socialist Left party be put into effect.
20. #6
Intedi Nensak ,   Stockholm, Sweden   (01.11.06)
Yes and we all know how very well informed the soviet people were about the world. You know nothing, it shows. We have a lot of trashy immigrants from the arab world who often say nasty stuff about Israel, and a small but very loud left. but that's pretty much it. Which country was the only country where almost 100% of the jewish population survived the holocaust? Denmark. and Denmark is in Scandinavia. The danes helped the jews to flee the country. Which country took them in? Sweden. Also in Scandinavia. Where did Raoul Wallenberg, the man who saved thousands of hungarian jews, come from? Yes, Sweden. and btw, Finland isn't Scandinavia. stupid f***.
21. response to Alex rre: Norway
myron ernst ,   vestal, new york USA   (01.11.06)
WELL SAID, ALEX.. Bravo !!!
22. Norway offers nothing to the world
Christopher ,   Boston, MASS USA   (01.11.06)
Eurabia, and its member Norway, always tried to find nice words and methods to cloak their inherent elitism and racism. What Norwegians are right about is that it is your choice whether to buy Israeli products or not. However, remember : if the US Government organized a boycott against you, you would go screaming to the EU and WTO; As for buying Norwegian products, you offer nothing that isn't produced elsewhere - and at better quality. What is it you offer the world besides ice? Salmon? US and Canadian!;Vodka? Just about every nation in the world; cheese? Ours is immensly better, tastier, and healthier. So that leaves you with ice, which we can always get from Canada. Now try living without cell phones, super computers, most of modern medicines major advances, and all the world's major religions, the internet, instant messaging technology, epilady (which your Norwegian women need to buy more of), voce mail,drip irrigation needed for food supplies,solar energy cells, the Pentium processor, and so much more. Where would Norway's life be today? I forgot, Norwegians can still get drunk on vodka whiledrowning in ice water!
23. Relax: A Norwegian boycott is illegal
Haakon ,   Drammen, Norway   (01.11.06)
Since both Israel and Norway are members of the WTO, it will be considered illegal to legislate boycotts of each other. Thus, the Norwegian fylke (county) Sor-Trondelag has made an erroneous desicion boycotting Israel. It is expected that this is soon to be reversed. Likewise, it will be a mistake that is against the treaties and commitments Norway already has signed. No Socialist Left Party can topple that! But this is nevertheless a big embarassment for us sober Norwegians.
24. Illegal or not is not the issue Haakon
Christopher ,   Boston, MASS USA   (01.11.06)
This is really not abouth whether the boycot is legal or not. It is about the intent and the message being sent: Simply that the Socialists, despite the collapse of their status and message, still represent a large, and loud, anti-Semitic contingent within your country. Until your State, with others, admits to its heritage and rather voluminous level of hatred, the desired boycott will be no less reprehensible than those flying the Swastika. Until there is an unequivocal refutation by ALL parties in your country, I for one will continue my own boycott!
25. Illegal boycott, Christopher
Haakon ,   Drammen - Norway   (01.12.06)
Some think that the proposal could be effected. It cannot be, because Norway is bound to her other agreements. Yeah go ahead with your own boycott. Send a message to the Norwegian government. But in your boycotting I hope that you also include the different organizations in your own country that subdue themselves to become dhimmies. Take a look at http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=20555 How come Harvard and Georgetown sell out to the Saudies? Unfortunately, there is a lot of cleansing to be done, everywhere, and you Americans have your own dhimmies to cope with; Ramsey Clark, Noam Chomsky, George W Bush, according to http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/009362.php
26. very funny
Intedi Nensak ,   Stockholm, Sweden   (01.12.06)
It's so very funny to see here how many of you (specially americans) are simply oozing of hatred for anything european. you claim we europeans are antisemetic because some nutcase on a norwegian mountaintop has decided to boycott Israel. There are half a billion people in Europe, unless you're completely retarded, you've figured out that most of us do not live in Soer-Trondelag. We in Europe have our problems, but no american can tell us we're doing a bad job considering your record of racism isn't much better than ours. This isn't antisemitism, it's plain stupidity. Most of those who are anti-israeli here are so because they believe the arab propaganda that the news channels constantly run as "facts". You're more anti-european than we're anti-israeli in any case, so you should just shut up about it. You're as uninformed about Europe as many people are about Israel, and it shows clearly in your comments. someone hinted that Norway would run to the EU for help in case of a boycott, why? Norway is not a part of the EU. Nor do they have any famous vodka brands to boycott in return. You've probably mixed that up with Absolut(which is swedish) or Finlandia(which is finnish). Go right ahead and boycott norway if you think you can, they pretty much lack any other industry but the oil and gas industry. i sincearly doubt that in these days of high oil prices, you'd want to raise the price further just to prove a point by locking out one of the biggest exporters of oil. Note that this post is not meant to offend those sane americans who have posted here, it's just meant to offend those pathetic freaks who lack brains and love to pour crap over Europeans over any reason. I fully agree that the goverment of Soer-Troendelag has made a mistake, but some of the comments here has been nothing but anti-european brainless rants.
27. The Europeans fail to understand
Roger ,   USA   (01.12.06)
The Jews know that not all Europeans are anti-Semitic but the majority of Jews were slaughtered in Europe. Europe has a tradition of anti-Semitism and it has been horrible to Jews. Expulsons, pogroms, gas chambers, conspiracies, forced conversion, etc. that is what the Jews experienced in Europe. It will take the Jews 1000 years to recover from the tragedy. Finally, there is a tiny stretch of land by the name of Israel the Jews call home. They are no longer dependent on the European whims, racism, anti-Semitism and cruelty. It is only 0.1% of the Middle Eastern landmass. The Arabs own 99.9% of the land. The tyrannical Arab regimes have assigned the Arabs who claim the Palestinian identity to dislodge the Jewish state. Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East and yet whether it is Norway, Sweden or France, Europe has always come out on the side of the 350M hostile Arabs who have been trying to wipe out 5.3M Jews.
28. There is nothing good a Jew can expect
Ann ,   USA   (01.12.06)
There is nothing good a Jew can expect from the vile continent of Europe. The European soil is drenched with Jewish blood.
29. The salmon mousse
john ,   oslo   (01.12.06)
From the film "Meaning of Life" by Monty Python: ----------------------------------- Shut up! Shut up, you American. You always talk, you Americans. You talk and you talk and say 'let me tell you something' and 'I just wanna say this'. Well, you're dead now, so shut up! HOWARD: Dead? GRIM REAPER: Dead. ANGELA: All of us? GRIM REAPER: All of you. GEOFFREY: Now, look here. You barge in here, quite uninvited, break glasses, and then announce, quite casually, that we're all dead. Well, I would remind you that you are a guest in this house, and-- [whock] Ah! Oh. GRIM REAPER: Be quiet! Englishmen, you're all so f**** pompous, and none of you have got any balls. DEBBIE: Can I ask you a question? GRIM REAPER: What? DEBBIE: How can we all have died at the same time? [silence] GRIM REAPER: The salmon mousse. -----------------------------------
30. #27 & #28
Intedi Nensak ,   Stockholm, Sweden   (01.12.06)
Yes it's true that we have a bad history in Europe when it comes to the treatment of jews, but we're not alone in that. And it's certainly not worse here now than in any other part of the world. I doubt it'll take 1000 years to recover though, it'll never be forgotten (and it shouldn't) but in 60-70 years it wont be so very touchy anymore since then no one who experienced it will be alive, and probably not their children either. In any case, todays Europeans did not commit those horrible acts, and it's certainly not fair to blame us for what our grandfathers did. We shouldn't have to apologize every single day because of something that happened before we were even born. It isn't true that we always side with the arabs.. but sadly sometimes we do. it's something i'm very ashamed of, as i am a very big supporter of israel. most of the "european" criticism of Israel though is really from arab immigrants and not real europeans. And finally to you Ann from USA, a big fat WHATEVER.
Next talkbacks
Back to article