Close to 1,100 Jews live in Norway, mostly in Oslo, along with more than 70 thousand Muslims. Anti-Semitic sentiment is no stranger to the country in recent years, cases of note are the late remarks by the Norwegian comedian Otto Jespersen, a plan by the local Muslim’s to assassinate the Israeli ambassador, and the shooting of the Oslo synagogue. In light of the above, quite a few Jews in Oslo were stunned by Sender's words.

If that’s not enough, the newspaper interviewing Sender - not known for its sympathy for Israel, and in the past compared Ariel Sharon to Nazi leader Hermann Göring - opened the interview with a poetic description of "the Israeli war machine" during "Operation Cast Lead" in the Gaza Strip. He also mentioned that during the operation Sender said that the emotional situation amongst Muslims is ‘explosive’ . When asked about the situation now, she replied that even now it’s ‘sensitive’.

"Both sides are right, that's something we need to learn to live with. Accept the fact that we disagree," said Sender. She stressed that on the Jewish side there is also extremism. "There is extreme polarization in the Jewish world today. On one side you have the Liberals, and on the other there is the ultra-Orthodox - who looks like they may become dominant. We do not like it. What’s happening is very dangerous. It is Inside Judaism as any other religions. Extremism appears everywhere, even by us".

"Chabad? Anti Democratic"

When asked whether Norway also suffers from the spread of the phenomenon which she so loathed, she replied in the affirmative, and viciously attacked the Chabad movement. "The ultra-Orthodox Chabad movement arrived here four years ago, and represents a more distant side in religion than we are able to accept". She stressed that the movement has "completely different values than the norm. This movement mixes religion and politics. Plus it has anti-democratic values." If not enough, she noted that the women in the movement "play an inferior role".

Sender also noted that the movement advocates a Greater Israel, "from Egypt in the west to ancient Babylon in the east, between Iraq and Iran of today. We, on the other hand, are engaged in democracy, volunteering and responsibility to society, this conduct is entirely destructive to the region, and as I said – it’s very dangerous".

Regarding the political aspect, Sender explained that the people in Norway are wrong for equating Norwegian Jews to the Jews to Israel. "Of course we have vast cooperation on cultural exchanges and the like, but I'm not engaged in politics. That’s the responsibility of the embassy".

When asked how she feels as a Jew in Norway, when Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman labels it an anti-Semitic country, she replied that Lieberman's associates and the Israeli public are also to blame. "I think he has bad advisers, he received incorrect information, he knew only half the story, he responded emotionally, and is talking to his local audience. No one can label people anti-Semites just because they criticize the state of Israel, even if Antisemitism is definitely an underlying factor in some of the criticism of Israel".

But the most controversial statement of Sender came when asked about Israel's policy in Judea and Samaria, to which she replied that the settlements are as beneficial to Israel as suicide bombings are for the Palestinians. "When it comes to settlements, I just cannot understand it. It completely baffles me; totally incomprehensible. It’s supposed to be beneficial for Israel, but this is not the case, it is as suicide attacks are for the Palestinians".

Rabbi Wilhelm: "She's endangering the Jewish community"

The Jewish community in Oslo had trouble digesting the sentiment of their leader. Rabbi Shaul Wilhelm, who heads the Chabad House in Oslo, in a interview with Ynet, said that the words of Sender endanger the city's Jewish community. "She’s just endangering the security of Jews living here. Her remarks constitute incitement. We feel very uncomfortable since the article was published, and so far there has been no retraction".

Regarding the criticism hurled at Chabad Wilhelm said: "It's simply not true. And it's especially dangerous when it's said by a major Jewish public figure. To compare Jews to radical Islam in a country where a hundred thousand Muslims reside is just a terrible thing to do. Especially since Jews and Israel are not at all popular in the media".

Jewish resident of Oslo also expressed their opposition to her sentiment. "There is no problem here with Chabad, they work for the betterment of the community as they do everywhere else, I think this is internal political wrestling and it’s quite dangerous".

Arik Argaman, a 30-year-old Israeli who studied in Norway and lives in Oslo, explained that he too was insulted by her remarks. "It's a product of internal hatred. What's the connection to Chabad which is apolitical? We are working here to prevent anti-Semitism and she comes along and destroys it. As it is it’s not easy to be a Jew in Norway. She did an injustice to us all".

Argaman related that the interview rocked the Jewish community."A few guys who work in securing the Jewish Center resigned from their positions. In Israel she would have had to resign. There are enough people here looking for reasons to hate the Jews".

When asked for comment Sender said: "I did the interview, and I don't plan on addressing the remarks or repeating them".