Possible hearing in Norway regarding Foreign Ministry misinforming Parliament about PA salaries for terrorist prisoners
NRK TV newsreader: “The case of Palestinian prisoners, among them terrorists, who receive salaries from the Palestinian Authority, continues. The Høyre Party (Right) now say that they do not trust the information they receive from the Foreign Ministry, because Norway gives large sums to Palestine every year. The head of the Scrutiny [and Constitutional Affairs] Committee in Parliament says it can lead to a hearing in Parliament.”
Reporter Tormod Strand: “Palestinian terrorism against Israeli targets has been part of the conflict between Israel and Palestine for a long time. Here [footage] from Hadera in 2001. Four civilian women were killed. 4,600 Palestinian prisoners are [imprisoned] in Israeli prisons, convicted of security offenses. 500 of them are [serving] lifetime [sentences] for terror-related acts.”
Visual: PMW video exposing PA TV’s glorification of terrorists and one of PMW’s reports on the PA’s payment of salaries to terrorists.
Reporter Tormod Strand: “[NRK] Evening News has reported that these prisoners, who are being praised on PA TV, receive great financial benefits from the PA for the battle they have fought for Palestine.
February 15, [2013]: The Foreign Ministry at first denied that such a [support] program [for prisoners] existed.
March 21, [2013]: After checking with Palestine, the Foreign Ministry confirmed that it may be true that such a program exists.
Now the Foreign Ministry calls for more detailed answers from Palestine. Yesterday, the Foreign Ministry sent another letter to Parliament to clarify. [But] the Høyre Party (Right) does not trust the answers they get from the Foreign Ministry.”
Reporter Tormod Strand interviewing MP Peter Gitmark (the Høyre Party): “Is it credible that the Foreign Ministry has not known about this?”
MP Peter Gitmark, (the Høyre Party): “No, it isn’t. [The fact that] the Norwegian Foreign Minister heads the donor group (AHLC) and a large Norwegian office in the PA, makes me think they would have noticed this. This is a comprehensive program that has existed for an extended period of time, and I think that the Norwegian authorities and the Norwegian Foreign Ministry have known [about it], also for an extended period of time.”
Reporter Tormod Strand: “The Scrutiny [and Constitutional Affairs] Committee believes that it can lead to a hearing in Parliament.”
MP Anders Anundsen (Progress Party) and Chairman of the Scrutiny and Constitutional Affairs Committee: “I think we are one step closer to a hearing, simply because we are not getting an answer [that is] specific enough to the questions we are asking. And it is difficult to understand that the Foreign Ministry has not been familiar with this program before.”
NRK newsreader: “Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide did not want to comment on this issue today.”
Click to view video
Click to view bulletin
Reporter Tormod Strand: “Palestinian terrorism against Israeli targets has been part of the conflict between Israel and Palestine for a long time. Here [footage] from Hadera in 2001. Four civilian women were killed. 4,600 Palestinian prisoners are [imprisoned] in Israeli prisons, convicted of security offenses. 500 of them are [serving] lifetime [sentences] for terror-related acts.”
Visual: PMW video exposing PA TV’s glorification of terrorists and one of PMW’s reports on the PA’s payment of salaries to terrorists.
Reporter Tormod Strand: “[NRK] Evening News has reported that these prisoners, who are being praised on PA TV, receive great financial benefits from the PA for the battle they have fought for Palestine.
February 15, [2013]: The Foreign Ministry at first denied that such a [support] program [for prisoners] existed.
March 21, [2013]: After checking with Palestine, the Foreign Ministry confirmed that it may be true that such a program exists.
Now the Foreign Ministry calls for more detailed answers from Palestine. Yesterday, the Foreign Ministry sent another letter to Parliament to clarify. [But] the Høyre Party (Right) does not trust the answers they get from the Foreign Ministry.”
Reporter Tormod Strand interviewing MP Peter Gitmark (the Høyre Party): “Is it credible that the Foreign Ministry has not known about this?”
MP Peter Gitmark, (the Høyre Party): “No, it isn’t. [The fact that] the Norwegian Foreign Minister heads the donor group (AHLC) and a large Norwegian office in the PA, makes me think they would have noticed this. This is a comprehensive program that has existed for an extended period of time, and I think that the Norwegian authorities and the Norwegian Foreign Ministry have known [about it], also for an extended period of time.”
Reporter Tormod Strand: “The Scrutiny [and Constitutional Affairs] Committee believes that it can lead to a hearing in Parliament.”
MP Anders Anundsen (Progress Party) and Chairman of the Scrutiny and Constitutional Affairs Committee: “I think we are one step closer to a hearing, simply because we are not getting an answer [that is] specific enough to the questions we are asking. And it is difficult to understand that the Foreign Ministry has not been familiar with this program before.”
NRK newsreader: “Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide did not want to comment on this issue today.”
Click to view video
Click to view bulletin
» View analysis citing this item