When images of a mural in Norway featuring Anne Frank wearing a keffiyeh surfaced online, it sparked controversy with Jewish communities denouncing it as a form of anti-Israel protest.
The European Jewish Congress stated, “Depicting a Holocaust victim with a keffiyeh is a gross distortion of history. Such acts are deeply antisemitic and offensive misrepresentations that undermine Holocaust memory.”
However, the artist behind the mural, known as Töddel, defended the work, explaining to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that they selected Anne Frank for the mural out of respect for Holocaust history.
Although not Jewish, Töddel had read Frank’s diary multiple times and visited Auschwitz-Birkenau with their children.
The artist described Anne Frank as a symbol of innocence who, like the children and women of Gaza, suffered and died due to their ethnicity, religion, and circumstances.
Entitled “Death of the Innocent,” the mural was unveiled in Bergen, a city in Norway without a formal Jewish community, where local universities recently cut ties with Israeli institutions over the conflict.
Töddel emphasized that the intention was not to solely blame Israel for the situation in Gaza, acknowledging Hamas’ role in initiating the conflict through terrorist actions.
However, they criticized Israel’s response in Gaza, stating that the civilian casualties were playing into Hamas’ objective of tarnishing Israel’s reputation.
Calling for an end to the violence, Töddel suggested that Anne Frank would support the demand to stop the killing of innocent women and children in Gaza.
The mural is part of a trend where symbols of the Holocaust are used in solidarity with Palestinians, as seen in recent incidents in Amsterdam and Milan.
Protests against Israel’s military actions in Gaza have led to clashes at Holocaust memorials and events involving Israeli dignitaries globally.
The mural’s location near the University of Bergen, which severed ties with an Israeli institution over the conflict, reflects the growing tension between Norway and Israel since Norway’s recognition of a Palestinian state.
Israel’s denial of a state visit request from Norway and criticism of Norway’s accusations regarding international humanitarian law violations have further strained relations between the two countries.