Cartoon in UK paper draws Israeli protest

Ha'aretz (Israel) ^ | 1/29/03 | Sharon Sadeh

[IowaHawk]

LONDON - The Israeli Embassy in London has sent a strongly worded letter of protest to The Independent, following an editorial cartoon yesterday by Dave Brown, depicting Prime Minister Ariel Sharon biting the flesh of a Palestinian baby.

In the cartoon, Sharon says: "What's wrong? Have you never seen a politician kissing a baby?" The background shows Apache attack helicopters sending missiles from the cockpit with the message "Vote Likud."

In her letter, Shuli Davidovich, the embassy's press secretary, writes: "As Britain commemorates National Holocaust Day, I am shocked that The Independent has chosen to evoke an ancient Jewish stereotype which would not have looked out of place in `Der Sturmer', and which can unfortunately still be found in many Arabic newspapers.

"The blood-thirsty imagery not only misrepresents the real reason for the IDF's operations in Gaza, but also feeds the hostility toward Israel and the Jewish people which lies at the very core of the Arab-Israeli conflict."

She adds: "One must be extremely careful to draw the line between legitimate criticism, and the anti-Semitism that often parades as such."

A year ago, a furor broke out over a New Statesman cover picture showing a Magen David sticking into the Union Jack, portraying the effect of the Jewish lobby in Britain. At the time, the magazine apologized.

[IowaHawk]

Here's what passes as political 'humor' for the anti-Israel Left:

Q: What's the difference between the London Independent and neo-nazi hate literature?

A: Neo-nazis don't have an advertising sales department.

[John Locke]

Thanks for the picture. The way Sharon is depicted is evidently an allusion to Goya's Saturn devouring his Children.

Other than psychological guilt projection, why would anyone think the child Palestinian?

[DoughtyOne]

Thanks for the article and the graphic IowaHawk. I'd not have understood the significance of the graphic if it hadn't been for John. Thanks John. The graphic itself was disgusting in that it seems to dwell on Iraeli violence, never aluding to the violence perpetrated against them. The reference to eating his own is evidently lost on me, in that the Palestinians are the ones who are using children to mule in the bombs that detonate inside Israel. Shouldn't this graphic be of Arafat?

I am rather concerned about the amazing downward spiral regarding Jewish treatments in Europe. This is but one more example.

For all the hoopla against Hitler and Naziism, the people of Europe seem to be embracing his early traits with wreckless abandon. God only knows what's going to pop in the near future.

[Your Nightmare]

Good catch on the Goya allusion.

I’m curious, how does this political cartoon show any Jewish stereotypes? This site has a good interpretation of the painting.

I just don't understand why any criticism of Israel, their policies, or Israeli politicians is always equated to anti-semitism. Whenever these issues are discussed, it doesn’t take long for someone to play the Nazi card. It’s a tactic Johnny Cochran would be proud of.

[Bobby777]

this is the legacy of Yasser Arafat and his cronies ... they kill innocent Israelis and call it a "struggle" ...

when Israel retaliates, tries to root our terrorists, and yes unfortunately catches *far fewer* innocents during such actions, they're painted the "villians" ...

under the same pro-terrorist twisted logic, America would have to apologize to Al-Quaeda, the Taliban and OBL ... and THAT aint' gonna happen ...

wonder if this leftist paper would show Arafat the Ghoul over all the Israelis he's killed via his groups ... I doubt it ...

[Alouette]

I just don't understand why any criticism of Israel, their policies, or Israeli politicians is always equated to anti-semitism.

Of course not all criticism of Israel is anti-semitism, if that were the case then every Jew in Israel would be an anti-semite.

But it is impossible to deny that certain types of criticism (such as: denouncing the Israelis whenever they prevent terrorists from carrying out acts of mass murder, or denying them right to exist, or demanding the ethnic cleansing of Jews from certain areas as a precondition to "peace negotiations") are sheer Jew-hatred in a lame disguise.

[Ichneumon]

Q: What's the difference between the London Independent and neo-nazi hate literature?

Ironically, most of Nazi Germany's anti-Jewish propaganda posters and cartoons were *less* over-the-top than the Independent's cartoon.

Check out the German Propaganda Archive for actual Nazi propaganda (both text and pictures), most of it is surprisingly subtle, and even the more blatant examples aren't as bad as the cartoon reproduced in this thread.

[Behind Liberal Lines]

Man, the second I saw this, I was reminded of anti-Semitic drawing in pre-war Nazi Germany.

Chilling.

[Alouette]

Ironically, most of Nazi Germany's anti-Jewish propaganda posters and cartoons were *less* over-the-top than the Independent's cartoon.

Also less "over the top" than what appears daily in the Arab media.

Cartoon gallery here

[dennisw]

You are full of crap. What's your interpretation of this cartoon? Please notice your clone-like preamble (I just don't understand why any criticism of Israel, their policies, or Israeli politicians is always equated to anti-semitism) does not immunize you from criticism. Or being called anti Semitic if that's what you're looking for. I would like to put "your people" in the Middle East and see how you match up against the Islamic Jihad.

[dennisw]

Other than psychological guilt projection, why would anyone think the child Palestinian?

You have  a lot of nerve calling Jews overly sensitive about this POS. What do you think the child is? Or better yet, what do you think the artist is trying to say the child is?

[dennisw]

Those vile cartoons are from Arab nations. NOT the UK. Big difference.

As noble, oppressed, colonialized 3rd world peoples Arabs can do no wrong. Go ask Kofi Annan and Desmond Tutu. They get a free pass on anti Semitism. Europe is held to a higher standard.

[dennisw]

[sheik yerbouty]

What can one expect from jihad filth. They are vermin.

[sheik yerbouty]

What can one expect from jihad filth. They are vermin.

[dennisw]

I think few if any are Mooooooslims