USA threats after boycott support US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice threatened Norway with "serious political consequences" after Finance Minister and Socialist Left Party leader Kristin Halvorsen admitted to supporting a boycott of Israeli goods. The reaction was reportedly given to the Norwegian embassy in Washington DC, and it was made clear that the statements came from the top level of the US State Department, newspaper VG reports. VG claims that two classified reports promised a "tougher climate" between the USA and Norway if Halvorsen's remarks represented the foreign policy of the new red-green alliance of the Labor, Socialist Left and Center parties. Norway's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jonas Gahr St?re, responded immediately with written explanations to both Israel and the USA, clarifying the government's stance, while Halvorsen distanced her party's policy from that of the government's. http://www.aftenposten.no/english/ (Aftenposten English Web Desk/NTB) -I guess we're the new "communist threat"...

I understand the point you are making... I hope you''ll understand this one... Doesn't feel good to be mass judged and juried just because you're european does it? Apparently not by your reaction here, fair enough. Welcome to the world of the Jews. and no one even tried to kill or maim you, consider yourself privileged, many Israelis and Jews aren't so lucky!

Norways government say theyintend to continue the work for peace in th middle east !!? Seems to me the way forward is to be "nice guys"on national and forreign tv.Do theyr lipservice with peacepartners,stretching out theyr swetty hands and then go back to the rooms with closed doors,working hard for the boycott of one of the peacepartners. This is the way I undestand one "official politic" and one for the "backdoor supporters". They talk a lot of -one official politic. This people are not abel to understand what they do to the norwegian people.How can they be even close to understand other nations people,who really are having a hard time trying to survive ? Thank you america,that is politicians.So is Ariel Sharon.May he be in good helth for years to com.!!!

Well, all the high tech stuff is either integrated in appliances or are just patents that are used in items produced all over the world. My grocer don't have any jaffa oranges. I can't afford the scitex offset printer. So, where can I find something not to buy? Really, I have been searching - but there is really nothing - except ONE thing. Unfortunately it is an item I only buy once a year. Before each christmas I stock up on DATES. Yes, that weird little dry sweet thing. I am not sure if the dates I bought a month ago was Israeli or not, they are all gone - and they were delicious. So I guess they must have been Israeli - coming from the very birthplace of Jesus, but I am not sure. What will I do next christmas? I have to test all the various producers, and if I find the same quality dates as I had this christmas - and if these dates are Israeli, then it is too late, they would already have been paid for - I could throw them away, but then It would already be in conflict with this boycott. I could vandalise the dates section, but then I myself would be banned. Oh, boy - it really goes to show how hard it is to be a gullible date lover... Maybe I could make a peace casserole, with salmon, dates and... and... oh, what are the palestinians producing... eh, maybe dates aswell. I will keep you all updated on how my salmon/dates/dates casserole was. It will be superb I'm sure.

Greetings. I am forwarding an item dealing with The Norwegian region of Sor-Trondelag's recent passing of a motion to boycott Israeli goods "as a way of pressuring Israel to end the occupation and the oppression of the Palestinian people." The item is being disseminared widely via e-mail. I received it as part of the alef Digest, Vol 35, Issue 103, a list of primarily but not exclusively self-professed progressive/leftist academics, msot of them but not all of the associated with the University of Haifa - through whose computer system the list is maintained and operated, apparently in an unmoderated fashion. I'm sending it out people such as you as it is possible that you would be willing and able to write a letter different than the one requested - that is, rather than sending a letter supportive of the motion, letters from liberal and progressive and left individuals opposing such a resolution appear to be needed at this time -- to all of the people that the writer below wants knee-jerk pro-divestment letters. So, take a look at the rest of this message, if you're up to it, start drafting something, send it or them out ... and hell, why not send ccs to everyone as noted ... and please be so kind as to forward THIS email to a few other people. Make sure that at least a few of them are in countries other than the one you're reading this in now. >> Sincerely, Arieh Lebowitz -- see below To: alef@list.haifa.ac.il Date: Thu, 12 Jan 2006 19:40:48 +0200 (IST) [for details on the list, try http://list.haifa.ac.il/mailman/listinfo/alef Date: Thu, 12 Jan 2006 09:44:12 -0800 From: "Yael Korin" Subject: [alef] Please send an email of support To: Message-ID: 002b01c6179f$cc9c1da0$77bb040a@ad.medctr.ucla.edu fwd by BADIL / to list: BDS Note: please do take action. ---------- Forwarded Message ---------- From: Ungdom For Fritt Palestina [mailto:post@uffp.org] Sent: Saturday, January 07, 2006 6:48 PM Subject: Support the county of Sor-Trondelag's Boycott Israel motion Dear friends The Norwegian region of Sor-Trondelag has passed a motion to boycott Israeli goods as a way of pressuring Israel to end the occupation and the oppression of the Palestinian people. You can read the motion in English on http://stopthewall.org/worldwideactivism/1061.shtml. The representatives of Sor-Trondelag have experienced massive Zionist pressure after the passing of the motion and some fear that they will vote against the boycott in a new voting. For example has the Simon Wiesenthal Centre and other Zionist organizations called the elected representatives of Sor-Trondelag "nazis" and "racists". We hope you will send a letter of support for the motion to: Mayor Tore Sandvik Sør-Trøndelag county municipality tore.sandvik@stfk.no (please send a BLIND COPY to fup@palestina.no) Pleases add a copy for: Arne Braut (fraction leader of the Center Party) arne.braut@stfk.no Ola Huke (fraction leader of Socialist Left Party) ola.huke@stfk.no Sor-Trondelag Labor Party sor-trondelag@dna.no Yngve Brox (fraction leader of the Conservative Party) yngve.brox@stfk.no Left Party fredrik@liberal.no Heidi Klokkervold (Red Electoral Alliance) heidi.klokkervold@stfk.no in solidarity Lars Klottrup Berge Youth For the Freedom of Palestine Norway

I couldn't agree more with this party in Norway. If the EU adopted the same measures it would make racist Israel think twice - we are their largest trading partner and their economy would be in ruins even with the substantial US handouts.

For all the Americans who are saying what is Norway giving the world. Well a lot of oil which ur using an awful lot of. They are the 3rd biggest exporter in the world!!

Daisy why do u and the majority of Americans support Isreal. I know a lot of ye do because of the christian freaks who think of protecting the "promised land etc..." I am no racist or anti-semite and that is why abhor the state of Israel (not Jews). Read any unbiased book regarding the Israeli-Palestianian conflict and the author nearly always comes to the conclusion that Israel simply does not what peace - and that includes Jewish authors. Do ye not have a heart? Imagine been driven out of your home and land and then left to rot in a refugee camp for a generation. This is the plight of the Palestinians. The way these people have been treated by a "democracy" is revolting to myself and a lot of Europeans. The US was as anti-semitic until recently as any part in the world admiditly not to the extent of Hitler and his monsters. And as for people saying Europe hates Jews. Of course what Europe namely Germany did to the Jews was unforgiveable but Europe has the strictest anti semitic laws in the world. There is a historian being prosecuted in Austria today for denying the holocaust - and rightly so!

adrian the palestinians are a people without a land,IREland is a land without people. so why not send all the palestinians to ireland,after all you irish are a peace loving people,the I.R.A. has proven that.

No, i do not understand your point. I'm not complaining about jews in general hating Europe, because most of them do not. i'm complaining about fanatic american jews who know nothing about Europe. they have probably never even been here. Antisemitism is really not a bigger problem here than in america, with a few exceptions such as France and the UK. and even then, 90% of all the hate crimes against jews are committed by muslim immigrants, NOT europeans. Nowhere in the world do jews enjoy such a protected status under the law as in Europe. Not even in Israel. it really bothers me that they try to act holier than thou when they're not any better than us. It's their hipocracy i detest. They constantly whine about the holocaust as if they excperienced it themselves and as we are responsible for it even though most of us weren't even born when it happend. We aren't responsible for our grandfathers mistakes and crimes, the only country i know of where you can inherit guilt to a crime is North Korea. The only responsibility we have is to make sure it doesn't happen again and never let it be forgotten, and trust me we're not saving any expenses in that. In my country, every school child get free books about the holocaust in school and almost everyone get a visit from a holocaust survivor to hear the story by someone who experienced it. My class got Emerich Roth :) a famous man here in Sweden. I've also been shown countless of documentaries about the holocaust in school. To label us all antisemetic because of some insane woman on a mountain top in the north isn't just unfair, it's stupid.

You are so ignorant that I I don't know where to begin. First of all you claim that Israel is racist and that is why it should be boycotted but what about Saudi Arabia or every other Arab Muslim country where non-Muslims are oppressed and murdered for their beliefs? Where women are raped for even glancing at a man that their not related to? Where is the outrage at the Arabs who blow up Jewish babies and then celebrate afterward? Israel's has the best human rights in the Middle East and that is a fact. They have acted civil considering that they are in the middle of a war with the Arabs. I would rather live under Jewish rule than Arab rule as a female Liberal Catholic ANYTIME! There is no such entity as the "Palestinian people." The Romans re-named Israel Palestine and it has no connection to the Arabs. Jews were the first to be called "Palestinians" until the Arabs stole the name for propaganda purposes. These Arabs should move to Ireland since they are more indigenous to your land than to Israel.

It doesn't matter if you were born or not when it occured, european countries share a responsibility nonetheless, and will do so for many generations to come, because never in human history has mankind descended to such a low level, that is europe's legacy no one else's, the youth of europe are callous to disregard this. Slavery in the americas is long gone, but we still hold a serious responsibility in regards to the criminal acts perpetrated on Africans, whether we personally had slaves or not is irrelevant. We do inherit a responsibility for the actions of our forefathers, a moral obligation, I disagree with you wholeheartedly. I'm sure Israelis appreciate your support whatever the case may be. My posts are getting too long, I'll say that to deny that the far left, and socialists have made some form of unholy alliance with the jihadists because they both I guess share desperate desires and antithesis to 'imperialists' is absurd, this left / jihadi alliance is in many countries, across europe, here in my home country, even the us... But to compare the strength and support of the left in europe as compared to the US is ABSURD! The us has a fringe left of loonies who hold these views, most of the left in the US supports israel strongly & vocally and reviles the Jihadis who murdered them wholesale 4 years ago. In Europe that same segment is not the fringe, it is often a solid block of the populace, europe is half welfare state! The USA is without any question or doubt in my eyes many times the ally of Jews and Israel that Europe is, Laws don't impress me, actions and intent are much more important, and in this regard the US is in a different Universe from europe entirely.. Is there anti semistism in the US, sure, there's anti semitism in every nation on earth. Physical hate crimes against jews in europe may be perpetrated by people of North african or Arab descent, but hatred of Jews in Europe is rampant on the left, it masks itself as anti zionsm but that is politicially correct cover. The left is composed of white pseudo enlightened intellectuals in europe, not Arabs. --- In defense of my american friends to the south (canada's own greatest allies) Europeans also lead the charge of anti americanism so far in the last 15 years, denial of this is also frankly absurd, (my country sadly lately contributes but that is changing shortly with elections when our own socialists are finally being kicked out on their ass) There's vast hatred of the US in europe. For Americans to react to this hatred which is initiated in europe, not vice versa is normal & natural. You keep speaking of a lone woman on a mountain, there's two boycotts in norway, there was a boycott from the UK's largest education Union, there's daily revile against Israel in the media in europe, clearly to feed someone's need of hatred in the populace, I don't see mass protest against the bias, most people are indifferent, but when it comes time for support clearly the message has had an effect, because the support is lacking.... your assertion and minimizing of the reality of the situation is precisely why Jews react as they do, never again will such issues be left in the hands of europeans, and I feel justly so. Europe maybe in your mind has redeemed itself, poll readers of this website and you'll find that opinion is shared by few. Jews have been slaughtered in europe for 2000 years now, in the last 60 years almost to the brink of extinction, your short embrace of life & responsibility consisting of only the years you live is a vastly different opinion from my own, we are entitled to our different views, I can respect yours but I think you're incapabale of seeing classic victimization syndrome because you have never been a victim, it is evident quite clearly to me, and I mean no disrespect, that was my point and clearly it fell on deaf ears.

Regarding your comments on Clark and Chomsky, tey do not represent a government, only themselves. Clark is a self-admitted traitor who roams the world speaking ill of the US while Chomsky is a self-hating former Jew who roams about calling for the destruction of Judaism. Your Socialist Party is a group in authority that already has organized a boycott - significant difference. You are right about Harvard and Georgetown - their acceptance of blood money is already reflected in their curriculum and has caused many to shy away to other schools.You may add AOL to that list - since there is HEAVY Saudi investment there that has also caused many to walk away to other on-line services. When the Norwegians no longer have a "prominent" political party with a hateful streak in them speaking for the people, then the growing boycott of Norwegian products will dissipate

Seems lately, the Irish have also offered very little to the world except terrorism. Muck like your Palestinian brothers you acclaim so highly, the IRA is also fond of killing innocent women and children, and then screaming foul when they are brought to task

of Norway!

We should have let the Russians walk all over Oslo, Paris and Berlin instead of protecting that vile continent from both fascism and communism. Had it not been for the USA Europe would have represented the backwater of the world. Despite the bloody history based on violence, death and destruction, the current European generation all of a sudden made a great discovery; they found the moral values. Little do they know that the universal values are based on the Jewish values. When Jews preached peace, love and reconciliation the Europeans were decapitating everyone that stood in their way. Little do they know who the magnificent European cathedrals are dedicated to. Israel will never succumb to the bloody European-type record. It is a country based on unique values and approach to humanity. There is no land on this planet that would have acted with the Israeli-type grace, patience, humanity, tolerance toward its enemies the way Israel has. It is very unfortunate that Scandinavian countries like Norway and Sweden known for their relatively decent approach toward the Jews have become ugly, anti-Semitic and vicious. We will remember!

I am glad there are people like you out there! Do you have an E-mail address?

This should only be a start. The Eurabians have a "honored" history of anti-Semitism going back centuries. It is time for payback. Let the Americans remind the Eurabians that without us, their States would carry names like "National Socialist" and "Union of Soviet" Now let's use the Norwegian's own trade board to assist in a boycott, and we can then follow with the trade boards of the other Eurabian states. http://www.nortrade.com/partners.aspx

James, You have an Irish name and are putting me down for being Irish - thats a bit ironic. Be proud of yr roots boy. Fact - Ireland has the highest rate of immigration in the world - there is certainly a lot of people in this island and many more coming here for the oppurtunities and way of life. Which is a lot more than I can say for the yr country with its detention camps and large racist population. Iv lived in Oz (I know). Daisy, I totally agree with yr assesment of Saudi Arabia and other like minded Muslim countries. They belong in the stone age (and Saudi Arabia would be except for oil) and I despise their way of thinking and would agree with a boycott . But the difference is Israel claims to have Western values and be a democracy and is supported by the most powerful democracy in the world. A democracy does not treat large sections of their country like they treat Israeli Arabs and the refugees along side them they created. A democracy does not elect war criminal. Sharon was not even able to meet with the EU in Brussels as an arrest warrant was out for him. I dont agree with suicide bombs and some of those religious nuts but I dont know what I would do if I was in the same situation. So brings us to the point Im not saying Israel doesn't deserve a land - of course but there has to be compromise which is something Israel has never been prepared to do. Even now there are building on land thats not theirs. The fact is Israel has had plenty of chances to achieve peace but its leaders down through the years were not interested e.g. Bergin, Sharon. Fact: Israel could have peace in a relatively short period if they observed the 1967 borders and treated all their people and neighbours with some humanity. Its pretty simple. Only then will it stop being treated like a pariah state. Slan.

"There is no land on this planet that would have acted with the Israeli-type grace, patience, humanity, tolerance toward its enemies the way like Israel" - that has to be a joke. I know u dont have a free and challenging media in the US how u can still come to that conclusion is mind boggling. Oh wot will we do with some of ye yanks - ur amusing I'll give u that. Roger, While we in Europe are glad of the protection afforded to us by the US during the cold war that doesn't mean we have to agree with u and we certainly dont agree on a lot anymore. The US didn't protect us for their love of Europe - a rich and stable Europe is a rich US. Europe is becoming the most influential power in the world - not through military might nut through soft power. If u want to trade/join/economic alliances with the richest bloc in the world u will have to improve human rights, social values and become more democratic. And it works....watch this space.

The last happening in Norway this week (that I being able to follow) is the politicians in opposition who have tryed to get a voting in the parlamet,but they were outnumberd by the sosialist government."There are no need for voting on something that is not going to happen"(boycott) So the opportunity to show the people and the world how deep down the feelings for this hateful shame really is ,I do not know.They are a majority government,so the fear of this vote might tell the truth abouth how many of them are deep down supporters of this boycott. As a norwegian I do not look forward ,with happiness,on a boycott of our products.But sometimes we people need to suffer before we wake up from our sleep.The government tells us that this case is ower.I do not think so.Norways labor party is also left-wing,but not so extreme. I will use this opportunity to give you my thoughts on USA too.It iseasy-I need only one sentence.They go hand in hand with Israel. You americans have the George Bush government.That is something to be proud of,I would have. THANK YOU - all of you - I have read all the talkbacks,and become more educated than I started with. George W. Bush and Ariel Sharon are the strongest leaders I have seen and the strongest I have read about.

If you think i'll apologize for something i did not do then you're very wrong. I will never apologize for the holocaust, i have no responsibility for it whatsoever. as i said earlier, i only know of one country in the world where guilt is something you inherit, and that is North Korea. Not very flattering to have them on your team huh? I feel sorry for those who were victims in the holocaust, but i do not feel any guilt and never will. I simply cannot feel guilty over something that happened 40 years before i was even born. Unlike in Europe, the US keept their apartheid laws decades after the holocaust had ended. It's such hipocracy for americans to pretend like they have anything to teach us on fighting racism. The left parties in Europe are more vocal than in the US since until just 15 years ago it was unthinkable to speak your mind in america if you were a leftist, then you'd have the FBI raiding your house looking for proof that you were a soviet spy. For the same reason to why people still whisper to eachother on town in former soviet, american leftists aren't speaking up. They've gotten used to it. The leftists here are truly annoying, but it's their right i guess. Freedom of speech and all that. the US is indeed a greater ally to Israel than Europe, partly by choice of Israel. they needed a big superpower to snuggle up with, and we ain't got any of those left here in Europe. I'm not saying that it's wrong, they DO need a powerful ally to survive with so many hostile neighbours. Europe could not have been such a secure military ally of Israel as the US, which was proved by the complete failure to even act in Yugoslavia right in our own backyard. You're wrong that the left here is composed of white europeans, they do have many arab and other immigrants in their parties and at least in my country almost all immigrants vote for the leftists. Antiamericanism is a bit different, and it has gotten more common lately. I'm not really sure how this carusel got started, but there is equal antieuropeanism in america. and both sides seem to be triggered by the other. i think the real trigger was Vietnam. But that too is way less than some people seem to believe. Two boycots in norway? and how big are they? most likely it's just another "free-palestine"-organization mastered by the terrorist group ISM who stood outside a supermarket telling people not to buy israeli oranges. I am familiar with the british boycot though, and that one was really bad. but as i think i wrote earlier, the UK is one of those exception countries where antisemitism is really bad. If you can find ANYTHING from mainstream european media about Israel coming even close to as hateful as fox news reportings on Europe and especially France, then you can complain. but yes, it is biased against israel sometimes, some networks are really bad and those i personally avoid. You think i've never been a victim? I'm homosexual, i get my share of being a victim. Doesn't mean that just because my friends dad hates gays that i should demand my friend to apologize to me for it. Anyway, i respect everyones right to their own opinion, even if i can't understand or agree with them.

Yes, feel free to contact me.

Norweigans are one of the most racist people in the world. Their criticism of Israel in defense of Palestinians aligns them with a culture that is totally hostile and violent to people of other cultures, religions and beliefs. The only thing that the Palestinians are good at is Public Relations. They sell their "product" to the Nazis, the anarchists, the loonies, etc. When you can sell yourself to the extreme right and the extreme left with the same actions says more about Israel's enemies than about the Palestinians.

Most Norwegian simply don't CARE about Israel, we hope, wish and pray that peace will come to the middle east but thats about it. I personally spent a summer unlike any other in Jerusalem, it was.....extraordinary! But then again we keep hearing how much we hate the Jews, when in fact most wouldn't know a Jew if they were standing in front of one. This is one small party, with four votes out of 156..... not a whole lot of power there....

I agree with you that the SV Party's efforts to boycott Israel, and the latest episodes you have mentioned are especially eggregious. You and anyone who agrees with you might wish to voice your views directly to the SV itself at its website, sv.no particularly to the people who are spearheading the boycott. You might remind them that boycotts can be turned against them (some Muslim states havecalled for boycotting Norway). Their policy is totally immoral and two-faced. If they are so concerned about non-proliferation, they would lift their voices against Iran. If they still state they believe in Israel's right to exist, they should be asked what they have done to counter the "wipe them off the map" rhetoric. Ask what they are doing to help freedom fighters in Chechen. Oh, they are terrorists? What are they doing that is different from the Palestinians? Oh, the Palestinians are fighitng Jews. I get it now.

This artificial division between "she's speaking as a party leader" but not as a government leader is well established practice in Scandinavia. Look at what happened in Finland in 1985. PM Kalevi Sorsa, addressing a SDP rally in his country, lambasted "American aggression" against Nicaragua. The U.S. Embassy protested that this statement was contradictory to Finnish foreign policy, which is to avoid taking sides in disputes between the great powers and to remain neutral. The Finnish Foreign Ministry replied that Sorsa was speaking "in his capacity as SDP leader and not as Prime Minister." People from the Center Party leaked the scandal to the press. I can imagine what would be the reaction if any Finnish political leader made statements criticizing the USSR in those days or Russia now (e.g. genocide in Chechnya, interference in the territorial integrity of Georgia), they would be thrown out on their ears very quickly, even if they protested that they were "only speaking in their party capacity."