BUT CARTOONS ABOUT JEWS ARE NOT OFFENSIVE

AS THE ARABS AND MUSLIMS OF THE WORLD CONTINUE TO THREATEN DEATH AND TERROR TO ANYONE WHO WOULD DARE PRINT A CARTOON OFFENSIVE TO MUSLIMS, AS THEY BEGIN TO BURN AND BOMB EUROPEAN EMBASSIES, IT IS INTERESTING TO HAVE A LOOK AT SOME OF THE CARTOONS THESE SAME ARABS AND MUSLIMS PRINT ABOUT JEWS AND JUDAISM. HONEST REPORTING DOES JUST THAT.

As documented by Palestinian Media Watch, the Arab Press exercises almost no self-censorship in the publications of cartoons which involve gross stereotypes of Jews. Not a week goes by in the Arab world without a "political" cartoon portraying Jews as either blood-suckers, Nazis, or the indiscriminate killers of Palestinian children.

In an interview with the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, analyst Joe Kotek, writes that "The main recurrent motif in Arab cartoons concerning Israel is 'the devilish Jew.' This image conveys the idea that Jews behave like Nazis, kill children and love blood."

"A major theme in Arab cartoons is the blood-loving or blood-thirsty Jew. This originates in Christian anti-Semitism. The Christian anti-Semitic libel alleged the Jews needed Christian blood for their Passover service. Its claim is that the Jew is evil, as his religion forces him to drink blood. In today's Arab world this image of unbridled hatred has mutated into the alleged quest for Palestinian blood.

Blood-drinking Jews are frequently shown by Al Ahram, one of Egypt's leading dailies. On 21 April 2001, it printed a cartoon showing an Arab being put into a flatting mill by two soldiers wearing helmets with Stars of David. The Arab's blood pours out and two Jews with kippot and Stars of David on their shirts drink the blood laughingly."

Yet, we find very little condemnation and apologies from the international community when these cartoons are published. In response to the offending cartoons of Muhammad, many like The Vatican said that "the drawings amounted to an "unacceptable provocation" and the right to freedom of expression "cannot entail the right to offend the sentiment of believers." One wonders why the same standards have not been used in reacting to the anti-Jewish cartoons.

On the other hand, Die Welt, one of the German papers to print the cartoons, got it right when they noted (as quoted in CNSNews.com):

"The protests from Muslims would be taken more seriously if they came across as less hypocritical," the Hamburg-based daily said, noting that no protests greeted the depiction by Syrian television of rabbis as cannibals."

Unfortunately it is not just the Arab world that seems comfortable publishing blatantly anti-Semitic slurs in the guise of "political" cartoons. As previously documented by Honest Reporting, media in Europe and the United States have published cartoons that go beyond offensive.

A political cartoon published in The Independent in 2003 depicted Ariel Sharon biting into the flesh of a Palestinian baby. The background shows Apache attack helicopters firing missiles, and blaring the message "Vote Likud." Sharon is saying, 'What's wrong, you never seen a politician kissing babies before?"

The government of Israel lodged an official protest to the cartoon by Dave Brown. Yet no apology similar to the many we are hearing from around the world today was forthcoming.

Not only were no apologies forthcoming, but the UK's Political Cartoon Society awarded it first prize in its 2003 "Cartoon of the Year" competition, choosing it over 34 other entries. When Honest Reporting wrote to protest the award, the reply we received was:

"You have all taken this award completely out of perspective and context. Shame on you! We do so much good."

For an eye-opening selection of more cartoons of this nature, go to Tom Gross Media.com. With the lack of remorse that we hear from publications of these cartoons one has to conclude that the threat of violence is the only reason that most of the media are so concerned with offending Muslim sensibilities.

THE ADL HAS A WEBSITE WITH SOME OF THE FILTH RECENTLY PRINTED IN THE ARAB/MUSLIM MEDIA.

THE ARAB LEAGUE OF EUROPE HAS DECIDED TO STRIKE BACK AT THE DANISH FOR PUBLISHING CARTOONS THE DEPICTED MUHAMMED IN UNFLATTERING TERMS BY PUBLISHING CARTOONS THAT MOCKED JEWS AND THE HOLOCAUST. THAT'LL TEACH THE DANES!