Norwegian holocaust center accuses Palestinian TV channel of anti-Semitism

Palestinian TV-channel, partly controlled by Palestinian authorities, sometimes spread anti-Semitism and a demonizing image of Israel, according to the Norwegian Holocaust Center.

Each year, the Norwegian Holocaust Center gives several NOK 100 million to the Palestinian national authorities.

Now the center criticizes the Palestinian TV channel for supporting a negative image of Israel that contributes to demonizing the Jewish state.

Some of the network's broadcasts definitely show traits of anti-Semitism, says Øivind Kopperud, a researcher at the Holocaust Center in Oslo. It's the Israeli organization Palestinian Media Watch (PMW) that has collected the clippings from Palestinian television.

Emad Alsafar on the other hand, the program director of the channel, refutes that the broadcasts are spreading anti-Semitism. He thinks that the Israeli organization PMW is consciously trying to twist what is being presented on Palestinian television.

Since 2008, Norway has given more than NOK 300 million annually to the Palestinian National authorities - the same authorities that finance and control part of what is shown on Palestinian television.

Norway will not end or decrease their financial support to Palestine, which goes towards building Palestinian institutions, State Secretary Torgeir Larsen explains.

Larsen has read the material from PMW, and although he admits that there are examples of anti-Semitism, he also emphasizes that they are examples and that PMW also has their own agenda in presenting the material.