<p><a href="http://haaretz.com/hasen/spages/749493.html">http://haaretz.com/hasen/spages/749493.html</a><br></p><p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jostein_Gaarder">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jostein_Gaarder</a><br>
</p><p><br></p><p>In August <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006" title="2006">2006</a>, Gaarder published an op-ed piece in the one of the largest newspapers in Norway, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aftenposten" title="Aftenposten">
Aftenposten</a>, expressing his outrage against <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel" title="Israel">Israel</a>'s military operations since 1967<sup id="_ref-3" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jostein_Gaarder#_note-3" title="">
[4]</a></sup> <sup id="_ref-4" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jostein_Gaarder#_note-4" title="">[5]</a></sup> <sup id="_ref-5" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jostein_Gaarder#_note-5" title="">
[6]</a></sup>. The text, which Gaarder on an <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/August_7" title="August 7">August 7</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006" title="2006">2006</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norsk_Rikskringkasting" title="Norsk Rikskringkasting">
NRK</a>
Channel 2 radio debate said was read by "countless people" and "Middle
East experts" prior to publishing, is by many perceived as attacking
not only Israel and Israeli policy, but also <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jew" title="Jew">Jews</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judaism" title="Judaism">Judaism</a> in general.</p>
<p>The piece, titled "God's Chosen People" and written in part as a response to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006_Israel-Lebanon_conflict" title="2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict">Israel-Lebanon conflict
</a>,
claims that Israel's policies are founded on a religion that is
"archaic" and "warriorlike". The op-ed is written as a prophecy,
believed by some to be based on the style of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Amos" title="Book of Amos">Book of Amos</a>.
Gaarder maintains it is written not the way he wants it to be, but the
way he believes it might become true unless the state of Israel changes
its political course.<sup id="_ref-6" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jostein_Gaarder#_note-6" title="">[7]</a></sup></p>
<p>Among other things, he writes:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>We laugh at this people's whims, and cry over its misdeeds. To act
as God's chosen people is not only foolish and arrogant, it is a crime
against humanity. We call it racism. […] There are limits to our
patience and there are limits to our tolerance. We do not believe in
divine promises as a rationale for occupation and apartheid. We have
left the Middle Ages behind. We laugh with embarrassment at those who
still believe that the god of the flora, fauna and galaxies has chosen
one particular people as his favorite, and given them amusing stone
tablets, burning bushes and a <i>license to kill</i>.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>In the article, Gaarder contrasts the use of religious legitimization of war and occupation with humanistic values, quoting <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Schweitzer" title="Albert Schweitzer">Albert Schweitzer
</a>: "Humanity is never to sacrifice a human being for a cause." Furthermore, he claims that many <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel" title="Israel">Israelis</a> celebrate the death of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lebanon" title="Lebanon">
Lebanese</a> children, comparing this behavior to the Biblical story where the Israelites celebrate <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God" title="God">God</a>'s plagues against <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egypt" title="Egypt">
Egypt</a>. He states: "We recognize the State of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel" title="Israel">Israel</a> of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1948_Arab-Israeli_War" title="1948 Arab-Israeli War">1948
</a> but not that of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six-Day_War" title="Six-Day War">1967</a>.
It is the state of Israel that fails to recognize, respect, or defer to
the internationally lawful Israeli state of 1948. Israel wants more;
more water and more villages", adding that Israel already has ceased to
exist. He maintains he is a friend of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jew" title="Jew">Jews</a>,
and finishes his article by envisioning another exodus of Jews from
Israel but hoping that: "[...] not one Israeli child lose its life. Far
too many civilians and children have been murdered already."</p>
<p>Reactions to the article were mixed: some in the Jewish community,
many public Jewish organisations and Norwegian intellectuals, others
criticized it as being too harsh, while many also supported him <sup id="_ref-7" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jostein_Gaarder#_note-7" title="">[8]</a></sup> <sup id="_ref-8" class="reference">
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jostein_Gaarder#_note-8" title="">[9]</a></sup> <sup id="_ref-9" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jostein_Gaarder#_note-9" title="">[10]</a></sup> <sup id="_ref-10" class="reference">
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jostein_Gaarder#_note-10" title="">[11]</a></sup>.</p>
<p>The op-ed was published together with an interview of Gaarder where
he explains the thoughts behind the op-ed. When questioned what he
wants to achieve, he answered that he actually wrote it as a wake-up
call to Israel. The state of Israel he says, is the one not respecting
Israel as it was originally created by the United Nations.<sup id="_ref-11" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jostein_Gaarder#_note-11" title="">[12]</a></sup></p>
<p>When Aftenposten asked him if he went too far by not recognizing Israel, he answered:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>"The op-ed is a judgement prophecy. Of course I don't mean that
Israel has no right to defend itself. What I say, is no different than
the world community through the UN-resolutions. Again and again we see
Israel overreacting says Gaarder, and stresses that he is not against
Israel as such, but that he distinguishes between Israel of 1948 and
the one of 1967."<sup id="_ref-12" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jostein_Gaarder#_note-12" title="">[13]</a></sup></p>
</blockquote>
<p>In numerous interviews after the publication of the op-ed, Gaarder
has maintained that he is not an anti-semite and that the piece should
not be viewed as an attack on Jews or Judaism. The Jewish community in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oslo" title="Oslo">Oslo</a>,
however, have said that even if this should be the case, the article
opens a "can of worms" and legitimizes ancient and deep-rooted <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-Semitism" title="Anti-Semitism">anti-semitic</a> thoughts and behaviour. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Odd-Bj%C3%B8rn_Fure&action=edit" class="new" title="Odd-Bjørn Fure">
Odd-Bjørn Fure</a>, renowned Norwegian historian and director of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oslo" title="Oslo">Oslo</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holocaust" title="Holocaust">Holocaust-centre</a>
says: "[...] Gaarder uses a language which contributes to lowering
barriers in the description of Israel and Jewish culture. [...] Gaarder
has crossed a line, but I don't think he realizes it"<sup id="_ref-13" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jostein_Gaarder#_note-13" title="">[14]</a></sup>.</p>
<p><i>"This is a classic anti-Semitic manifesto, which cannot even disguise itself as criticism of Israel,"</i>
said Professor Dina Porat, head of the Stephen Roth Institute for the
Study of Contemporary Anti-Semitism and Racism at Tel Aviv University "<sup id="_ref-14" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jostein_Gaarder#_note-14" title="">[15]</a></sup>. <i>"The
writer does not address the conflict in its contemporary context but
reaches back thousands of years to assert that the Jewish people have
traits of cruelty that have remained unchanged and account for the
current war,"</i> she says. Porat says that according to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Union" title="European Union">European Union</a>,
denying Israel's right to exist arguing that its existence is racist is
an anti-Semitic statement. She also finds in Gaarder's text the use of
classic anti-Semitic symbols, like infanticide. <i>"I've been head of
the Institute for the Study of Contemporary Anti-Semitism for 15 years
and it's not every day that I get to read such a radical document, in
terms of its content and rhetoric,"</i> she said.</p>
<p>Three days after publishing the op-ed, Jostein Gaarder has expressed
that he will "withdraw from the debate", because of the strong
reactions after his article. He admits he could have phrased himself
with more precision, but that it would be too much work to do anything
about it now. He also states that what he wrote, was motivated by
"disgust for the war, and the wrongdoing of the Israeli army". Gaarder
also said: "We have a very good word in norwegian for what Israel is
doing in Lebanon: <i>Hærverk</i> [vandalism, or literally "the work of
an army"]. And I also condemn the rockets of Hezbollah towards Israel,
just so that is said. I have said it numerous times, and will repeat
it: I'm a humanist, not an anti-semite. Both the Jewish and Greek ideas
are in the foundation of what I believe in" <sup id="_ref-15" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jostein_Gaarder#_note-15" title="">[16]</a></sup>.</p>
<p>Jostein Gaarder's Israeli publisher, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Schocken_Publishing_House&action=edit" class="new" title="Schocken Publishing House">Schocken Publishing House</a>, announced
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/August_9" title="August 9">August 9</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006" title="2006">2006</a>, that it would stop cooperating with Jostein Gaarder and no longer publish his books. In addition,
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Racheli_Edelman&action=edit" class="new" title="Racheli Edelman">Racheli Edelman</a>,
the owner-publisher of Schocken Publishing House, is looking into
whether the op-ed is basis for a lawsuit against Jostein Gaarder <sup id="_ref-16" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jostein_Gaarder#_note-16" title="">[17]</a></sup>.</p>