Godmother of Mercy vs. Godmother of Hate
Activists Vigdis Bjorvand and Daniella Weiss stand as symbols of two opposing paths in the Palestina conflict. The first risks her life to bring aid to Gaza, embodying mercy and courage where governments have failed. The second spreads hatred as the godmother of Israeli settlers, shocking the world with her words.
July 30, 2025 | SOCIETY
Image of Bjorvand from Freedom Flotilla Coalition
The past week, two elderly women have made a strong impression in very different ways. In the painful way: Daniella Weiss (76), far-right Orthodox Zionist. Activist and leader of Nachala, known as the Godmother of the Jewish settlers. In the good way: Norwegian Vigdis Bjorvand (70), activist for the human rights organization Adalah. She has risked her own life by taking part in an action to bring emergency aid into Gaza. She deserves to be called the “Godmother of Mercy.”
Daniella Weiss, through her organization, wants to occupy the entire northern part of the Arabian Peninsula. She believes the Jews have a right to the area after being driven out of Eretz Israel(the Promised Land). We will not discuss who historically has the right to the area—it is complicated, as we know.
Last week, Daniella Weiss gave an interview to Piers Morgan. When asked what she thinks about the 20,000 Palestinian children killed since October, she answered that she thinks Palestinian and Arab parents must stop teaching their children to kill Jews. The hatred in this statement has shocked the entire world and surely brought many to tears.
In a very short time, Israel has committed what many describe as genocide, killing civilians—men, women, children, and infants. We have not seen atrocities of this scale even from terrorist organizations. Israel is, after all, a state—a state that has now taught everyone susceptible to extremism that the end justifies the means. It is so wrong that one might ask whether revenge actions against Germans for the Holocaust would be expected, or whether this hatred is instead being directed at the Palestinians. This is what happens when extreme leaders come to power: again and again they lead their people into misery. Jews as a people are not to be blamed; many of them, in fact, protest within their own country without being heard.
In the middle of this endless suffering, we have Norwegian Vigdis Bjorvand, who shows more courage, humanity, and action than all the Norwegian cabinet members combined, led by Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, Minister of Finance Jens Stoltenberg, and Minister of Foreign Affairs Espen Barth Eide. The boat carrying emergency aid to Gaza, unfortunately, did not make it through; it was boarded by Israeli authorities on Saturday evening. Vigdis is being released today according to NRK reports—let us hope she is in good health. Warm thoughts are sent to her, with hope for her well-being.
Love to the people of Palestine!
Honor to Vigdis Bjorvand and all Jews who distance themselves from what is happening!
Shame on Daniella Weiss, Israel, and the Norwegian government for letting it happen!
However strong our feelings may be for one side or the other, we should all choose Vigdis’s path: mercy.
SOURCES
UNICEF USA (27 May 2025)
Unimaginable horrors: more than 50,000 children reportedly killed or injured in the Gaza StripFreedom Flotilla Coalition (15 Jul 2025)
Vigdis Bjorvand (Norway), profile of her role in the Handala missionAdalah (21 Jul 2025)
Conditions of detention for Gaza flotilla activists, including Vigdis BjorvandPiers Morgan Uncensored (16 Jul 2025)
Daniella Weiss Interview (Podcast)YouTube (16 Jul 2025)
Daniella Weiss on Gaza childrenBBC (25 Jul 2025)
Protests in Israel: army reservists and public reaction (Video)BBC News (25 Jul 2025)
More Israelis want the war to endNachala Movement (2025)
Nachala: a Zionist grassroots movement establishing new communities in Judea and SamariaBBC Bitesize (n.d.)
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