Protest letter from Nowegian Israelis to Larsen

April 26, 2002

To: Terje Rod-Larsen / Den Norske Ambassade - Norwegian Embassy

From: Astrid Salvesen Shwartz

Last Thursday, April 18, 2002, will be remembered as an especially difficult
and sad day for me, my family, and other fellow Norwegians living in Israel.

The UN Organization and its Norwegian representative, Terje Rod-Larsen, have
stained their reputation and embarrassed themselves and the Norwegian
people, following Terje Rod-Larsen's biased stand on Israel.

You ask what has made April 18 such an unforgettable day and awoke my
Norwegian nationalism??? On the evening of April 18, as I was watching the
news on TV with my family, we were suddenly taken aback when Norway's Terje
Rod-Larsen appeared standing in the middle of the Palestinian refugee camp
in Jenin, describing what the Israeli Defense Forces had allegedly done and
the "unbelievable" site surrounding him.

Terje Rod-Larsen described the scene, "as if an earth quake had just hit,
the destruction, and the stench of death". Yes, Terje Rod-Larsen reported
what he saw, and there was no arguing about it. The recent events in Jenin
were indeed terrible and sad, and no doubt that many believe the same.

Terje Larsen, you did not, however, stop at that. You proceeded to view your
personal opinion by claiming that "Jenin will be remembered as a "black
stain" on this government in the history of Israel." At that point, my
stomach felt sick. I was shocked, disappointed, betrayed, and embarrassed by
your choice of words. To add fuel to the fire, you freely expressed yourself
regarding the events in Jenin, but somehow you also refrained from
expressing your views on the current situation within Israel's borders. You
chose to say what was said and chose not to say more that should have been
said. Of course, you conveniently spoke out following Israel's Remembrance
Day of its fallen soldiers and Israel's Independence Day. Celebrations were
canceled this year countrywide. Why? Over a hundred and twenty Israeli lives
were extinguished by Palestinian suicide bombers and hundreds wounded, in
the month of March alone.

Why should the people of Israel continue to suffer on a daily basis for the
fundamental right to safeguard their homeland?

Terje Rod-Larsen, you chose to act as the "Judge of the Middle East". No
other person or country, not even the United States of America has had the
"chutzpah" to take such a position. How dare you judge the Israeli people?

I am a proud Norwegian and the daughter of a wise Norwegian Naval Officer,
an Orlogs Captain. The Norwegian King rewarded my father an honorary medal
for his bravery and defense against the Nazis during WW2. I cannot begin to
think how a person of your status, a Norwegian delegate to the UN for the
Middle East, could have fallen so deep, as you have, on the day of April 18,
2002. As a Norwegian public figure, you have taken a biased stand on the
conflict in the Middle East, and you have misrepresented Norwegians
worldwide, including those living in Israel.

I have lost all due respect for you, Terje Rod-Larsen, for if your words
represent those of the UN, then all that is left to say is that it is
"unbelievable".

However, I would like to thank you, Terje Rod-Larsen, for opening up my eyes
and teaching me the true politics between Norway and Israel. Nevertheless,
being an "expert" on the Middle East, you seem to have ignored pages and
pages of facts. Thus, I cannot understand the Norwegian boycott (of Israeli
products), and more so the paradox that your wife is the Norwegian
Ambassador to Israel!

I call out to the Norwegian press and the Norwegian people back home. Please
wake up. Our country is being grossly misrepresented. We deserve better!

The Norwegian community in Israel is asking for the forgiveness of the
Israeli Defense Forces and its citizens for Terry Larsen's political
misconduct in Jenin.

The Norwegian community in Israel thanks the Israeli Defense Forces for
carefully keeping us safe and protected from ongoing Palestinian terrorism.

We are proud of the IDF soldiers and support you 100 !!!

In my opinion, the IDF and its soldiers should be rewarded with a Medal of
Honor for the battle of Jenin and the War on Terrorism.

Astrid Salvesen Shwartz Hod-HaSharon Israel