The Jewish community in Norway claims its members fear seeking medical care due to growing anti-Israel sentiment among the nation’s healthcare workers.
Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom reports that in an unprecedented letter to Norwegian health authorities, the country’s Jewish leaders warn that community members are hiding their identities in medical settings – a “situation not experienced since World War II.”
The letter, signed by Marius Gaarder, chairman of the Jewish community in Oslo, and John Arne Moen from the Jewish community in Trondheim, raises alarming concerns:
“Shortly after [the Hamas attacks on] October 7, 2023, alongside growing anti-Israel mobilisation among segments of healthcare workers, health institutions, and medical experts, several members of the Jewish community expressed concern that they would feel uncomfortable seeking medical treatment and fear they wouldn’t receive optimal care if they revealed they were Jewish,” they wrote.
VETERAN JEWISH DOCTOR IN NORWAY OUTLINES THE CONCERNS
These concerns are backed up by Rolf Kirschner, a Jewish doctor with 45 years of experience in Norway’s public health system and a member of the Norwegian Medical Association, who described them as an “unprecedented phenomenon.”
“People don’t dare wear Jewish symbols like the Star of David when going for examinations, and Jewish patients fear having their names called aloud in waiting rooms out of concern that caregivers or others will discover they are Jewish,” he observed.
“Some Jewish patients were alarmed when they encountered healthcare professionals displaying overtly political posters and pamphlets expressing support for Palestinians, and they’re afraid to complain about this for fear of negative reactions from medical staff on whom their health depends,” Dr. Kirschner added.
Israel Hayom reports that this vulnerability is compounded by the Norwegian government’s strongly pro-Palestinian stance.
The letter calls on health services and the government to ensure Jews feel comfortable in hospitals and don’t fear approaching and receiving medical care, or hide their identity in hospitals.
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Norway’s Jewish population is small with approximately 1,500 registered Jews nationwide, 800 of them residing in the capital Oslo.
Mr. Gaarder recently wrote to the United Nations Human Rights Council. His letter said:
Since October 7, 2023, acceptance of anti-Semitism has grown, with over half of Norwegians expressing views that could be interpreted as such.
At the same time, there is reason to believe that people chanting slogans such as “No Zionists in our streets” may not realise that this can be a form of anti-Semitism.
Norwegians, in general, are not anti-Semites, but many have a strongly negative view of Israel.
Despite increased reports of anti-Semitic incidents, police investigations are rare.
There is little evidence of anti-Semitism among Norwegian politicians, but they may conflate terms or participate in controversial demonstrations where Israel’s actions are compared to those of Nazi Germany.
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Dr. Kirschner could cite only five or six documented cases of patients sharing their health treatment concerns with community leaders, but he believes they indicate a broader pattern.
Their anxieties have intensified following the viral spread of a video showing two Australian hospital nurses threatening to mistreat Israeli patients in Sydney.
Dr. Kirschner urged professional organisations to take action: “The unions should inform their members that healthcare professionals need to remain neutral in the workplace and not display political symbols.”
“They should make it clear that union members are prohibited from participating in political demonstrations at the workplace.”
Norway’s Health Minister Jan Christian Vestre responded to the concerns, stating: “All patients should feel safe when treated in our public health service.”
“No one should experience discomfort or worry when receiving healthcare, and I expect everyone to be treated with dignity.”
The head of the Nurses Association also acknowledged these concerns and promised to address them.
On Alpeleg, an Israeli-Norwegian resident of over three decades, places these concerns in a troubling historical context: “Norway assisted the Nazis in deporting Jews to extermination camps, and today it is the only Western country that refuses to recognise Hamas as a terrorist organisation.”
“As a Jewish resident of Norway, I feel deep concern about the influence of politics on the ethics and professionalism of the healthcare system.”
Source: Israel Hayom
Image: Shutterstock.com
