Press Statement by: David Parsons, ICEJ Vice President & Senior Spokesman

Hundreds of Norwegian Christians gathered in front of the nation’s parliament in Oslo on Saturday (03/02/24) for an historic rally to stand with Israel and oppose antisemitism. The demonstration brought together the broadest-ever alliance of Christian denominations in Norway to endorse a joint statement declaring support for Israel in its war with Hamas in Gaza and calling for more action to confront antisemitism.

The pro-Israel rally was attended by clergy and laymen from the Pentecostal, Lutheran and Catholic churches, representing all the nation’s Christian denominations except for the former state church. The gathering was organized by the Norwegian branch of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem.

“It was an historic demonstration of Christian support for Israel in our nation due to the wide range of Christian leaders and organizations involved. Nothing like this has ever happened in my lifetime,” said Dag Øyvind Juliussen, national director of ICEJ-Norway.

At the conclusion of the rally, the church leaders present issued a joint statement which reads as follows:

STATEMENT FROM THE NORWEGIAN CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY

We are shaken by the attack on Israel on October 7th, and it is with deep sorrow that we witness the ongoing war and the global increase in antisemitism and hatred towards Jews. As Christians, we feel a special responsibility to stand up for our Jewish brethren, especially considering the history of the church; so filled with anti-Jewish sentiment and persecution. We cannot remain silent in the face of this reality.

1) We believe that every human being, regardless of ethnicity and religion, is created in the image of God and possesses a unique and inviolable human value. This applies to all people, including those in Israel and Gaza. The suffering of the civilian population is unbearable and concern us all.

2) We find it unacceptable that Jews living in Norway experience increased harassment and fear. We must never forget the injustice that the church and Christians have inflicted on Jews for nearly 2000 years. Throughout our history, the Jewish people have been persecuted, expelled, and attempts have been made to annihilate them. Today, we are witnessing antisemitism rearing its head once again.

3) In our society, we need to confront antisemitic attitudes, prejudices, and indifference to how Jews are portrayed in our culture. In 2012, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) responded to strong anti-Israel sentiments in Norwegian society. This is also evident in the discussion of the conflict between Israel and Hamas in 2023.

4) Antisemitism is a significant element in the war between Israel and Hamas. Hamas’ statements that they wish to repeat October 7th again and again until Israel no longer exists, demonstrate the fundamental antisemitic ideology of Hamas, as expressed in their charters from 1988 and 2017. We strongly condemn such statements. The antisemitic element in the war and conflict between Israel and Hamas cannot be overlooked or forgotten.

5) Our focus on increasing antisemitism does not imply overlooking or ignoring the suffering of the population in Gaza and the conditions of the Palestinians, in any way. However, Hamas’ massacre and attacks against Israel go hand in hand with their terror regime towards their own population. Palestinians also need support and help for a better and secure future.

6) Our society has a responsibility to expose and combat antisemitism. Several reports have indicated that there is antisemitic bias in our Norwegian society expressed in discussions about the Israel-Palestine conflict. We want to see this issue more clearly addressed in Norwegian media coverage and encourage Norwegian media outlets to highlight Jewish and Israeli experiences and perspectives, more than today.

• We encourage prayer for peace for all affected parties in Israel, Gaza, the West Bank, and the Middle East in general.

• We encourage involvement and public demonstrations of support.

• We encourage everyone to refrain from demonizing opponents but rather to engage in conversations about the difficult issues at hand, respecting the different perspectives.

• We encourage everyone to safeguard Jews and the Jewish community in our country.

PHOTO Caption & Credit
Norwegian Christians rally for Israel outside their parliament building in Oslo on Saturday (ICEJ-Norway photo).

FOR MORE INFORMATION, contact

David Parsons, ICEJ Vice President & Senior International Spokesman