Logo of MIFF.
MIFF-rally in Oslo in 2006.

With Israel for Peace (Norwegian: Med Israel for fred, MIFF) is a Norwegian pro-Israel organisation. It styles itself as a "non-religious, non-partisan pro-Israel organisation", and has more than 11,000 registered members as of 2017.[1] A main concern of the organisation is what it sees as a negative bias towards Israel in mainstream Norwegian media coverage.[1] The director of the organisation is Conrad Myrland, and the president is Morten Fjell Rasmussen.[1]

History

MIFF was founded in 1978. Since then it has grown substantially from 1,200 members in 2005, to more than 11,000 as of 2017.[1] In January 2009, during the Gaza War, a peaceful rally by MIFF was attacked amid violent anti-Israel riots in Oslo.[2] By early 2014 MIFF had more than twice as many members as the main pro-Palestine organisation in Norway, the Palestine Committee of Norway.[3]

In July 2014, amid the 2014 Israel–Gaza conflict, the organisation accused Mads Gilbert of lying about Israel, and put ads in Norwegian newspapers debunking claims made by Gilbert.[4] The organisation was itself accused of stirring up television viewer storms against NRK reporter Sidsel Wold[5] and TV 2 reporter Fredrik Græsvik.[6] In August 2014 MIFF held a rally with up to 600 people in Oslo, with speakers including members of parliament Hans Fredrik Grøvan and Kristian Norheim.[7][8] The organisation received a record 900.000 kr in gifts and membership fees during the month of August 2014.[9] Notable members of MIFF includes retired football player Anders Rambekk,[10] member of parliament Erlend Wiborg,[11] and former member of parliament Hallgrim Berg.[12]

In 2015 MIFF became a co-founding member of the European Alliance for Israel, which included delegates from fifteen European countries, of which MIFF was the largest group by membership.[13][14]

In October 2023, amid the 2023 Israel–Hamas war about 500 people attended a rally in Oslo arranged by MIFF. Among the speakers were politicians such as Progress Party leader Sylvi Listhaug.[15]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "With Israel for peace". Retrieved 18 January 2019.
  2. "MIFF: – Vi er ikke samlet for å feire krig, men for å få til fred". Dagen (in Norwegian). 10 August 2014.
  3. "MIFF "knuser" Palestinakomiteen". Dagen (in Norwegian). 11 January 2014.
  4. "Med Israel for fred: - Mads Gilbert lyver om Israel Gilbert: - Utrolig tynt skvip". Dagbladet (in Norwegian). 19 July 2014.
  5. "MIFF lagde seerstorm i NRK". Dagen (in Norwegian). 17 July 2014.
  6. "TV 2-Græsvik mener MIFF ikke bør få slippe til i det offentlige rom: Jeg går hardt ut mot de som mener jeg lyver". Dagbladet (in Norwegian). 22 July 2014.
  7. "MIFF: - Vi er her for å få til ekte fred i Midtøsten". TV 2 (in Norwegian). 10 August 2014.
  8. "MIFF: – Vi vil få til en ekte fred i Midtøsten". VG (in Norwegian). 10 August 2014.
  9. "Med Israel for Fred satte inntekts-rekord". Stavanger Aftenblad (in Norwegian). 9 September 2014.
  10. "Fotballkjendis danner lokallag for MIFF". Dagen (in Norwegian). 26 August 2010.
  11. "Erlend Wiborg har meldt seg inn i "Med Israel for fred"". Fredriksstad Blad (in Norwegian). 30 July 2014.
  12. "Han skal mobilisere Israel-støtte i nord". Nordlys (in Norwegian). 19 May 2015.
  13. "Enighet om å danne israelvennlig allianse". Dagen (in Norwegian). 3 December 2013.
  14. "Europeisk allianse for Israel etablert". With Israel for peace (in Norwegian). 10 May 2015.
  15. "Israel og Palestina: Person pågrepet under demonstrasjon". Dagbladet (in Norwegian). 15 October 2023.
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