PMW sparks debate in Norway on funding the PA

NRK TV narrator: "It is early morning in Jerusalem. At the Western Wall in the Old City Orthodox Jews are praying. Jewish children hurry to school. Meanwhile, a few blocks away in the Old City, the Palestinian Ahmad opens his shop with his sons. Two peoples, two worlds a few feet apart, but separated by a hatred that we find difficult to understand. Where did they get it (the hatred)?"

NRK TV narrator: "This is Palestinian children's television, funded and partially controlled by the Palestinian Authority, which receives large sums annually from Norway."

Continuation of same PMW video from PA TV is shownFootage from PMW office is shownNRK narrator: "Staff at Palestinian Media Watch in Jerusalem are watching a broadcast from Palestinian television. The Israeli organization is on the Israeli right-wing politically. [Its] goal is to document what values Palestinian TV and newspapers convey to their own people. Danish Nan Zilberdik [of PMW] says that what she calls 'demonization' exists to a great extent."

PMW senior analyst Nan Jacques Zilberdik: "What we [PMW] report is definitely the general [PA] message. We don't provide just a few examples that we have chosen to make it look extreme. I think that Norwegian and other leaders will be surprised to hear what the Palestinian leaders with whom they talk about peace, say in Arabic."

NRK narrator: "This is from a documentary this year on PA TV, about the Jews":

PMW-translated video from PA TV is shownNRK narrator: "Palestinian Media Watch has published a book about what is being broadcast in the media controlled by the PA. NRK (Norwegian) TV asked the Holocaust Center to evaluate it."

Øivind Kopperud, Center for Studies of Holocaust and Religious Minorities: "There are certainly clear Antisemitic aspects and that is part of this conflict situation. There is [in PA media] an enhanced image of 'the other,' an enemy image that contributes to demonizing the Jewish state."

NRK reporter: "What is Antisemitic?"

Øivind Kopperud: "Old stereotypes. You find the myth that The Protocols of the Elders of Zion exists, that what is written there actually happened, that it is a real book and not a forgery, which it is, that the Jews are working in secret to rule the world."

NRK narrator: "This is PA TV, the TV reports are edited here. How does the TV station defend a message that can occasionally appear as demonizing? Some examples [of PA TV demonizing]: Israel tortures and steals organs from Palestinian prisoners. Israel poisoned Yasser Arafat and Israel intentionally spreads drugs among Palestinian youth. The management of PA TV believes that there is evidence of these claims. Therefore, they broadcast the message. The overall charge of demonization and Antisemitism is rejected."

Emad Al-Asfar, Director of Programming, PA TV, PBC: "We have no problem with Jews. The only problem we have is with the occupation. We have to focus on this problem, this origin, not with the results. First of all. Second, I think Palestinian Media Watch always using [PA TV] news to change its shape."

NRK narrator: "He [PA Director of Programming] says sometimes that they have live broadcasts where they cannot control the messages that may be demonizing. "We try to correct this afterward," he says.
How widespread are those attitudes towards Jews and Israel that PA TV helps to transmit? Sunday Evening News traveled among Palestinians in the West Bank to find the answer. First stop: the Palestinian capital, Ramallah. At the first café table we come across, it turns out that The Protocols of the Elders of Zion is already the topic of discussion."

Man in café: "We were just talking about this. Yes, I read some before and I know, I believe that there is a Protocol for they are planning to control the world."

NRK narrator: "The Protocols is a more than 100-year-old text documenting that the Jews will take over world supremacy, and which is a forgery to discredit the Jews. But at this cafe table the most famous Antisemitic text in the world is alive and well."

NRK reporter: "Do you know that these Protocols are false?"

Man in café: "False? I don't believe that. I believe they have written this, because this is the mentality of the Jewish [people]."

NRK narrator: "Also in the next café in Ramallah the notion of the Jews' conspiracy to take over the world is a fact."

Man in second café: "According to what we read and understand from history,
The Protocols of the Elders of Zion exists. My information is based on history books and the media."

NRK narrator: "PA TV has special programs for prisoners serving sentences for terrorism against Israel. The prisoners are being praised."

PMW-translated video from PA TV is shownNRK narrator: "Nasser Awais was sentenced to 14 life sentences for planning a terror attack in which 13 civilians were killed. On PA TV he is glorified. We [Norwegian TV] came here [to Jericho] with a question: Is it appropriate to honor people who have been convicted of killing Israeli civilians, Jews?"

Man smoking water pipe: "For us, the Martyrs have a high position. We see seeking Martyrdom as a duty. The Zionist entity (i.e., Israel) sees the Martyrdom seekers as terrorists. This is contrary to the logic of our Islam."

NRK narrator: "We went to Hebron with the same question: is it right to honor Martyrs? This 17-year-old is not in doubt."

Youth: "They [Israelis] came and entered the land of Palestine."

NRK narrator: "Neither is the clothes dealer in doubt":

Clothes dealer: "We honor and are proud of them because this is occupied land and they occupied it."

NRK narrator: "Since 2008, Norway has given over 300 million kroner a year in budget support to the Palestinian Authority. [The PA] finances and partly controls PA TV. The State Secretary [Torgeir Larsen] has read PMW's material."

State Secretary, Torgeir Larsen: "There are examples in the book (PMW's Deception) that clearly express hatred. There are also examples of Antisemitism, which you find in Palestinian society. But these are examples. And it's also important for me to emphasize that those (i.e., PMW) who have put together these examples - I do not doubt the content - are part of an ongoing political battle."

NRK narrator: "He [State Secretary Torgeir Larsen] said Norway has discussed this with the PA, but that it is not relevant to stop the Norwegian financial support [to the PA], which goes to building Palestinian institutions.
What about the Israeli media? Don't they also portray the Palestinians as basically evil? This is a Middle East expert who knows the Israeli media well."

Asgeir Ueland, Author and journalist: "In the mainstream [Israeli] media it hardly ever occurs, at least not that I can remember from reading the Hebrew press for about 16 years, and [I] cannot remember [anything] being broadcast on radio, television or in major newspapers."

NRK narrator: "He says that hate messages are found in the Israeli media, but it is in the settlers' own media and media that belong on the Israeli right. This is a picture that is also supported by other sources NRK [TV] has contacted."

PMW-translated video from PA TV is shownNRK narrator: "[Palestinian] children grow up learning that Jews are 'Satan with a tail.'"

PMW-translated video from PA TV is shownNRK narrator: "Adults hear that Jews are evil and not to be trusted. It is perhaps not surprising that the hatred is growing. The messenger is a [PA] government that receives large amounts [of money] from Norway."