The Philadelphia Inquirer has issued an apology for the publication of an editorial cartoon that has been widely criticized for propagating "antisemitic tropes."
The cartoon, created by artist Monte Wolverton, was published on Tuesday and has since sparked a wave of backlash.
The cartoon in question depicted a large black military boot, adorned with a Star of David, poised to crush a crowd of Palestinians, among whom were scattered several Hamas militants. The boot, a symbolic representation of the Jewish state, carried a speech bubble that read, "Distance yourselves!" The crowd, in response, appeared to scatter in fear of the impending crush.
The Inquirer's editorial board expressed their regret in a statement, acknowledging the insensitivity of the cartoon, particularly in light of the recent surge in antisemitic incidents. "It is clear this cartoon was highly insensitive, particularly at the current moment when antisemitism is on the rise. We hear the outcry and apologize for the pain it caused," the editorial board stated.
The cartoon was a critique of Israel's response to the murder of approximately 1300 people by Hamas in the Jewish state. However, it was met with severe criticism on social media. Users condemned the cartoon, with comments ranging from "This cartoon is shameful" to "Monte supports baby killers" and "Nice moral relativism, you antisemitic piece of trash."
In their statement, the Inquirer's editorial board admitted their error in judgment. "In hindsight, the cartoon depicting an oversized Israeli military boot stepping on Hamas terrorists hiding among civilians in response to the Oct. 7 attack should not have been published," they conceded. The board further acknowledged that the cartoon reinforced harmful antisemitic stereotypes about Israeli aggression.
The board also referenced an earlier editorial in which they condemned Hamas' "heinous attacks days after they occurred," and affirmed their belief in Israel's right to self-defense. The earlier piece drew parallels between the surprise attacks on Israel by Palestinian militants in Gaza and the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, in America and the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
The editorial board's apology included a commitment to improve their vetting process for cartoons to prevent similar incidents in the future. Wolverton, the artist behind the controversial cartoon, has yet to respond to the criticism.
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