SHARON'S CLOSE FRIEND: Sharon's advisor calls demonstrators
«Quislings» Av: Hanne
Dankertsen / Øyvind
Ludt 29. jul 09:22
One of Ariel Sharon's advisors, Uri
Dan, expressed his dislike of the Norwegians who were demonstrating
against Arial Sharon on his visit to Norway earlier this month,
saying, «It is sad to see that Quisling has pupils taking after
him».
Vidkun Quisling was a Norwegian politician whose
collaboration with the Nazis during World War II made his name
synonymous with traitor. The Germans installed Quisling as Prime
Minister in 1942 and throughout the war he collaborated with the
Nazis. Quisling was tried and executed after the war.
Uri Dan is Ariel Sharon's best friend and adviser through 49
years but holds no official position in the Israeli government. Uri
Dan speaks his mind when asked about his opinion of the
demonstrators who met Sharon in Molde earlier this month:
|
Ariel Sharon and Norwegian
Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik in Molde
earlier this
month. | |
Photo: Heiko Junge / SCANPIX
| | |
«Pupils» «You used to have Quisling and 60 years later
it is sad to see that he has pupils who are taking after him», said
Dan in an interview with the Christian Norwegian paper Norge i Dag.
Geir Atle Gussiås, spokesman for the Norwegian demonstrators, is
shocked by Dan's statements:
«It makes me angry that he compares me with Nazis and people who
persecuted Jews. I would rather compare Ariel Sharon with Quisling.
I would like to say that both Quisling and Sharon are supporting
occupation. Quisling supported the German occupation of Norway and
Sharon is occupying Palestine», he tol Nettavisen.
«No
comment» Neither the Office of the Norwegian Prime Minister nor the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs want to comment on Dan's statements:
«These are statements from a person who was accredited as a
journalist in Sharon's party and not as one of the Prime Minister's
advisors. Beyond that we see no reason to comment on this», said
Øistein Mjærum, political adviser of the Norwegian Prime Minister.
Dan also though Norwegian media take the Palestinians' side when
covering the Middle East conflict.
«What is expressed in Norwegian media is pure hatred of Jews. It
is anti-Semitism in the most horrible form. They are not attacking
Sharon, but the Jew Sharon», said Dan.
The Embassy of Israel in Oslo says that mr. Dans comments don't
reflect the official view of Isreal.
«Uri Dan is a private journalist and his statements express his
own personal views and not the position of the Government of
Israel», the embassy says in a statement.
Believes in
terrorism in Norway Dan also used rough language to describe the
Palestinian activists, and believes in terrorist actions in Norway.
«When the Arabs get tired of exploding themselves in Israel they
will come to you in Norway», he said.
Dan is a journalist and a writer and is known for being an expert
on the Middle East conflict.
(Photo: AFP Photo/Sven
Nackstrand/Scanpix) |