Norwegian media slams anti-Semitic professor

Newspapers in Scandinavian country criticize sociologist Johan Galtung over 'propaganda speech' linking Norwegian killer Breivik to Israel's Mossad

Aviel Magnezi

Published:

05.02.12, 00:28 / Israel News

The Norwegian sociologist Johan Galtung, who made anti-Semitic remarks suggesting a connection between Norwegian killer Anders Behring Breivik and Israel's Mossad, drew criticism not only in Israel, but also on the pages of Scandinavian newspapers.

Norwegian newspaper Dagbladet published in October an article by journalist John Faerseth, who attended one of Galtung's lectures at the University of Oslo, where he outlined his doctrine in front of a cheering crowd.

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Throughout the article, Fearseth slams Galtung, who is dubbed "the father of peace studies", saying the "findings" on which he bases his theories against Jews are "dubious" at best.

Norwegian magazine Humanist published a correspondence between Galtung and Fearseth, in which Galtung claimed, as he did several times in the past, that the Jews control world media.

Fearseth wrote a response article together with a Dagbladet reporter, in which they called Galtung a provocateur who uses his authority to "incite classic anti-Semitic propaganda."

Meanwhile, the editors of Humanist published a special column in which they expressed their reservations over Galtung's article, explaining why the magazine chose to give him a platform to spew his hate.

'Paranoid theories'

Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten also published an article that put in question Galtung's theories. The article, written by Publicist Halvor Tjonn, slams Galtung's claims regarding Jewish control of media outlets, saying "if this is true, then these media outlets did a really bad job of protecting Israel."

Tjonn noted that Galtung has become a popular figure on neo-Nazi and anti-Semitic websites around the world.

The Norwegian publicist called Galtung's theories "paranoid," saying that the Protocols of the Elders of Zion served as the basis of these "anti-Semitic illusions," and gave Stalin a justification for the murder of millions of Russians. Nowadays, he added, it serves the goals of the Hamas movement in Gaza.

Tjonn closed the article by hinting that Galtung is propagating Jew-hatred across Norway.

Arik Bergman, an Israeli who studied in Norway and currently lives in Oslo, told Ynet that he is glad to see the Norwegian media turning against Galtung. "He is not the only one who believes in such theories, but fortunately he faces some resistance," Bergman said.

Rabbi Shaul Wilhelm, who heads the Chabad house in Oslo, said that the media response reflects the general attitude toward Galtung. "The professor is not taken so seriously anymore, because this is not the first time he makes such statements.

"Norway's daily papers, even those who are affiliated with the Left, responded to his comments, and not in a positive way. It is not to be taken for granted that Dagbladet, which usually presents anti-Israeli positions, speaks out against him," the rabbi noted.