Political cartoon attacked Jews as a group, not government policies

Your Turn

Michael Hoffman and Josephine Gon

Guest columnists

We value the role of local media in reporting multiple perspectives and fostering open dialogue in our community. A free and independent press is essential to the health of our democracy and the exchange of ideas. However, the cartoon published in The Palm Beach Post on Sunday, Jan. 26, crossed the line into content that was explicitly antisemitic.

Following are our concerns:

Perpetuating dangerous antisemitic stereotypes: The illustration invoked the false and inflammatory accusation of Jewish 'bloodlust' — a dangerous and deceptive lie dating back to the Middle Ages that Jews murder non-Jewish children to use their blood for rituals. This lie has incited horrific violence against Jews for centuries and continues to do so. Cartoons like this are not harmless; they are antisemitic because they spread lies that can lead to harmful action and incite hostility toward Jews.

Misrepresentation of the war and Israel: Defenders of the cartoon say it was merely 'anti-war,' yet the illustration goes beyond anti-war sentiment by evoking imagery and themes that blame Jews for the war and suggests that Israel bears sole responsibility. A credible and accurate anti-war illustration would need to show casualties and suffering on all sides: Israeli victims, abused hostages, and Palestinians, who have suffered at the hands of Hamas, a terrorist, authoritarian regime. The war began after Hamas terrorists invaded Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, and brutally attacked, raped, beheaded, burned and murdered more than 1,200 Israelis (including foreigners and non-Jews) and kidnapped more than 250 innocent men, women and children. As of mid-April, 59 hostages are still enduring brutal captivity more than 18 months after being violently ripped from their homes and country.

Had Hamas not done this, Israel would not have been forced to defend itself and its citizens and there would be no war. Yet, the cartoon instead reinforces historical prejudices that have been used to justify violence against Jews for centuries.

Political art can protest and have the power to provoke. However, the Jan. 26 cartoon attacks Jews as a group, rather than government policies. When Jews worldwide are targeted with age-old antisemitic tropes, and when the world’s only Jewish state is demonized while far more severe global atrocities are overlooked, the line between legitimate criticism of Israel and antisemitism is crossed. That is antisemitism.

We must all stand united against antisemitism and all forms of hate. This issue highlights an important distinction: there is a profound difference between free speech, which is essential, and hate speech, which must not be tolerated.

Michael Hoffman is president & CEO of the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County, and Josephine Gon is Executive Director of the Palm Beach Center to Combat Antisemitism & Hatred. They wrote this for The Palm Beach Post.