Norway’s state broadcaster NRK, on its daily morning news programme Nyhetsmorgen, repeats the canard that Israel and Russia deliberately spread rumours that led to the storming of Ceuta, long after the story was debunked, among other things by a Spanish police report. NRK does not mention it; instead, they interview a Professor Jones in Qatar, who says the aim is to spread hatred of Muslims.
The reporter is Vilde Skorpen Wikan, formerly of Aftenposten, who repeats the statement by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez long after it was discredited. Sánchez blamed Israel and Russia, as well as “far-right networks”, without saying which ones. Many reacted to his playing the far-right card and pulling Israel out of the hat at the same time. It sounded like classic antisemitism.
But not to NRK, which says the motive is hatred of Islam. Anders Børringbo plays along, but talks around the claims.
NRK refers to a Spanish Faktisk.no, without saying anything about who it is. Norwegian media rarely qualify their own or others’ sources, but use them uncritically and must therefore vouch for them.
The connection to a university in Qatar in particular made the claim suspect.
What Skorpen Wikan omits is the police report that placed the blame on Moroccan intelligence.
Sánchez saves Morocco and throws Israel and the far right under the bus.
Secret Spanish police report: Morocco behind the invasion of Ceuta
