“Adresseavisen, a regional newspaper in Trondheim, shocks by using a full page for advertising for MIFF. «With Israel for peace»? Rather with Israel for genocide”, writes Palestinakomiteen Trøndelag on Facebook on 8 March. The organisation which recently praised the Hamas terrorist Yahya Sinwar is gathering the ranks to demonstrate against the newspaper. “We gather in Nordre gate as every Saturday and march together in procession to Adresseavisen’s office to make it clear: This we do not accept”, they write.
According to MIFF’s own overview, the same advertisement appeared in several of the country’s largest newspapers, that is to say Aftenposten, VG, Bergens Tidende, Adresseavisen and Fædrelandsvennen, while Vårt Land, Klassekampen and Dagsavisen chose not to print it.
Zionist propaganda?
“When some editorial offices actually set a limit, it becomes only even clearer how gross it is that Adresseavisen nevertheless gave a full page to this type of propaganda.” That is to say Zionist propaganda, in the opinion of Palestinakomiteen Trøndelag, which like the parent organisation does not want the Jews to have any country of their own.
“Does the newspaper really believe that propaganda for a state committing genocide belongs on a full page? Adresseavisen owes its readers an explanation of how this advertisement was approved and published”, the Gaza activists write further.
Adressa responded to the criticism
And they did receive a response from Adresseavisen, but not one that fell to their liking:
“Today Adressa’s editor-in-chief Kirsti Husby defends the publication of the MIFF advertisement in the Journalisten case (Vårt Land said no to MIFF advertisement: That is where the limit lies). She refers to freedom of expression, press ethics, a high degree of tolerance, that the advertisement is not Adressa’s opinion, and that the newspaper made some minor changes before publication. That answer does not suffice”, writes Palestinakomiteen Trøndelag on Facebook on 9 March.
Adresseavisen’s editor-in-chief emphasised to the online newspaper Journalisten that the advertisement does not represent Adresseavisen’s opinions, and that in its leading articles the newspaper has taken a position with regard to the United States and Israel’s conduct of war in Iran and described it as contrary to international law (folkerett).
“I understand that the advertisement both provokes and creates anger among some. I do understand that. But when we nevertheless have landed on publication, it is because we believe that freedom of expression must also be able to challenge and provoke. The degree of tolerance must be high”, Husby points out to Journalisten.
That was by no means good enough for the local Palestinakomiteen, which is therefore marching to the newspaper’s offices to demonstrate.
Professor who praises terrorists
In addition, central figures in the committee have had an article printed in Adresseavisen about the “terrible” advertisement, together with several academics. The article is authored by, among others, Bassam Hussein, an Arab professor employed at NTNU (Norwegian University of Science and Technology), and the one who stood at the forefront when the now dead Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was praised by Palestinakomiteen Trøndelag in Trondheim city centre at the end of January, even though the terrorist is regarded as the mastermind behind the terrorist attack on Israel on 7 October 2023.
Professor who refuses journalists to work
Hussein was also the organiser when regime-loyal demonstrators praised the killed ayatollah Khamenei in Trondheim on 3 March, and was one of those who refused the undersigned to cover the demonstration as a journalist. He was one of the two Arabs who physically pulled me away from the job I was supposed to do. That sort of thing does not prevent Hussein from being given space in Adresseavisen time and again. Freedom of expression is apparently only for some, not for everyone else.
Sørget over Khameneis død: Jeg ble jaget vekk: – Aldri opplevd lignende
“Has Adresseavisen sold its soul to the devil’s great-grandmother?” is the headline of the article, which is illustrated with a large portrait of Bassam Hussein. He is referred to only as a professor at NTNU, while somewhat more information is provided about the female academics who also stand behind the article.
“That Adresseavisen chooses to print such an advertisement, and moreover on a Saturday, at prime reading time when as many people as possible see the newspaper, is reprehensible”, write Nassira Essahli, Associate Professor, Department of Education and Lifelong Learning, NTNU, Marit Ursin, Professor of Interdisciplinary Child Research, Department of Education and Lifelong Learning, NTNU, Ida Marie Lyså, Associate Professor, Department of Education and Lifelong Learning, NTNU, and Ulrika Maria Mårtensson, Professor at the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies, NTNU. That is, together with the Gaza activist Hussein.
“The editor-in-chief has the audacity to speak about freedom of expression”, write those who wish to prevent the printing of an advertisement and the professor who refused a journalist to do his job.