SIMON WIESENTHAL CENTRE
64, avenue Marceau - 75008 Paris
Tel. +33 14237637 - Fax: +33 147208401
http://www.wiesenthal-europe.com
In a letter to Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg, the Simon
Wiesenthal Centre's Director for International Relations, Dr. Shimon
Samuels, described the Norwegian Provincial Government of Sor-Trondelag
resolution to boycott Israeli products as:
- an act of antisemitism in the spirit of Hitler's 'Kaufen nicht bei Juden'
campaign of the 1930's
- a continuation of Norway's collaborationist history under its own Nazi
leader, Vidkun Quisling
- in violation of the freedom of commerce provisions of the European Union
and the World Trade Organization
- an embarrassment to the Norwegian foreign policy as it places Oslo in the
camp of the rejectionists of the Middle East peace process and of the
forces of terrorism.
Samuels demanded that Norway "go beyond its current 'denial of
responsibility for the acts of a local council'. The vote by this
unreconstructed Stalinist faction of the SDP governing coalition partner,
is a betrayal of all Socialist values".
Our Centre urged the Prime Minister "not only to condemn this outrage, but
to expunge the racists in the ranks of his own government by expelling them
and their sympathizers".
Samuels concluded by calling on "our friends in the Norwegian church, trade
unions, media and fair-minded public to stand in solidarity with our
protest", adding that "to do otherwise would constitute a warm welcome to
Quisling".
Fore more information, please contact Dr. Samuels at +33 6 09 77 01 58.