Dear colleauges,
In Norway antisemitic attitudes - and hostile sentiments against Jews - just because they are Jews – have increased - after several years of decline.
Antisemitism is not acceptable. It threatens the fabric of our open and democratic society.
The government of Norway is committed to combating antisemitism. We have just developed a new and reinforced action-plan, focusing on i) dialogue and a well-functioning democracy, ii) knowledge and competence and iii) safety and security. This is the third action plan, and it will last until 2030.
The action plan also has a chapter on international efforts. And this is my first point, we need to come together, within the OSCE region and elsewhere, to facilitate analysis and sharing of good practices. We need more exchange and knowledge sharing, not less.
Second: In Norway, the small Jewish community consisting of some 1500 persons, are experiencing increased antisemitism, not necessarily physical incidents, but pressure, threats, insecurity, anxiety and marginalization. This is what was described yesterday as “ambient antisemitism”.
Despite having national action plans with concrete measures, as well as data analysis and regular population surveys, we need to know better what really works.
And this is my second point, we need more comparative research on what works to reduce antisemitism, both online and offline. It would be useful if the OSCE could facilitate more comparative research and cooperation between researchers from several countries both on tools to analyse and combat antisemitism.
Third: Antisemitism is closely linked to the conflict in the Middle East. Recent surveys document that several people have taken a more critical view of Israel's policies in the aftermath of 7 October.
This is also true for Muslim minority groups in Norway. Research shows that antisemitism is higher among Muslims compared to the rest of the population. 28.9 per cent of Muslims in Norway had antisemitic prejudices, while the corresponding figure for the entire population was 8.3 per cent.
Dealing with this is sensitive. We need to find ways to relate to this challenge without polarizing the situation further. And this is my third point, the OSCE can help member states dealing with this complex issue, finding the balance between general and targeted efforts, to avoid stigmatizing population groups, and within the frameworks of a democratic society and freedom of speech.
Finally. Recently, Andy Baker and a team from the OSCE visited Norway. One of the recommendations from their visit was to renovate the old Jewish synagogue in Oslo, which is currently being used as a museum.
I am pleased to inform here in the OSCE that the Government recently decided to allocate 77 million kroner over the next years to secure and preserve this historic building, as a way of preserving the Jewish culture and history in Norway.
Thank you.