Satire or anti-Semitism: For and against

On Monday, 'The Independent' published a savage cartoon of Israel's Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon. It prompted complaints from the Israeli Embassy, Jewish groups, and some of our readers, who were offended by the image. Today, we ask the question: was this cartoon anti-Semitic? and throw the debate open to our Argument channel

Friday, 31 January 2003

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Click on the image to enlarge

Caption: What's wrong... you never seen a politician kissing babies before? (After Goya)

For and against

Read Gerald Kaufman MP in defence of the cartoon, and Ned Tomke, editor of 'The Jewish Chronicle', for the prosecution

In context

Philip Hensher discusses the cartoon's relationship to Goya's Saturn Devouring One of His Sons, while the cartoonist Dave Brown desribes its creation

Have your say

Read more comment and add your voice in our Argument channel

What the readers said

'I was sickened to see the cartoon depicting Sharon as an ogre eating a child' Paul Gross, Middlesex

'Dave brown's cartoon of ariel Sharon was not only legitimate but brilliant' William Frost, Dorking

'I am shocked that you have evoked an ancient jewish stereotype which would not have looked out of place in "der Stürmer"' Shuli Davidovich, Israeli Embassy

'When the image was Romano Prodi chewing the head off britannia, no one batted an eyelid. Is the EU fair game, but Israel not?' Michael Wintle, Hull

'Reporters would do well to realise that there are two sides to every story' Rabbi Ariel Abel, London

'The criticism is of repressive policies, not the jewish faith, to which i proudly belong' Michael Halpern, Middlesex

'Even the Nazis tried to distance themselves from this sort of prejudice' Gidon Katz, London