Israel bristled at a critique by the Norwegian ambassador to Israel about alleged Israeli torture practices.
Norwegian TV this week aired a leaked memorandum by Ambassador Jakken Bjorn Lian in which he quoted recent human-rights allegations about the torture tactics of Israel’s security services during closed-door interrogations of suspected terrorists.
The memorandum, which apparently was aimed at helping Oslo decide whether to file a formal complaint with Jerusalem, drew censure from Israeli officials.
“The Norwegian ambassador hasn’t a clue what he’s talking about,” Internal Security Minister Avi Dichter told Israel Radio. “The subject of interrogations in Israel is a transparent subject, not just when it comes to Israeli officialdom but also vis-a-vis the Red Cross.”
The Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem summoned Lian for clarifications, though Oslo officials described the meeting as routine.
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