I meant to comment at the time, a few days ago, on this particular example of a rancid dog-pile dropped in the middle of a recent edition of The New York Times. It shows a blind Donald Trump complete with yarmulke being pulled along by an Israeli dog with the face of Benjamin Netanyahu.
It is, of course, like most cartoons, an exaggerated lie but like the 'best' of cartoons it is immensely powerful. In fact, Trump is no more being 'led' by Netanyahu than the Israeli Prime Minister is being 'led' by Trump. They are both pursuing their political and strategic aims as they see them and as both of them face dangers from Arabic/Islamic enemies then there are bound to be areas of mutual self-interest. As the old proverb has it, "The enemy of my enemy is my friend!" Churchill said much the same thing when Russia was attacked by Germany.
Even so, given the lividity of the cartoon, it is obvious that there is more behind it than just strategic politics. It plays to the very heart of the old anti-Semitic belief that Jews secretly pull the strings of everything of importance in world affairs. Of course, Israelis do try and do that but then so does everyone else! The USA doesn't so much 'pull strings' as yank (no pun intended!) on ropes, just as Great Britain used to do 'back in the day', and now the Chinese do with increasing effect. However, in this particular case, it is obvious that the main aim of the cartoonist was to ram home his own personal Jew-hatred based, no doubt, on all the old anti-Semitic tropes which never seem to die. That The New York Times gave it space, tells you all you need to know about that particularly disgusting organisation.
None of that, of course, should inhibit anyone from criticising Israeli policy!
I'll declare my bias first up. Whilst I am a fifth generation Australian I have been and always will be a supporter of Israel the only truly democratic country in the cesspit known as the Middle East. I have never been there and probably never will unlike some of my family forebears who fought in the Desert War 1916 - 1918.
To the point in question:-
It plays to the very heart of the old anti-Semitic belief that Jews secretly pull the strings of everything of importance in world affairs
If this is true I want to know why I am missing out on my share.
The cartoon is disgusting however the up side of it is that it helps identify enemies of my co-religionists no matter how they proclaim they are not really against Jews just against Israel.
Posted by: AussieD | Tuesday, 30 April 2019 at 11:09
AussieD, the broadcast networks here have scarcely mentioned this "cartoon". The "Corbynization" of the Western Left and the Democrat Party has happened slowly and then suddenly.
Posted by: Whitewall | Tuesday, 30 April 2019 at 11:41
Apparently, Corbyn is interested in the rights for that cartoon, as he thinks it will make a good logo for the Labour Party.
Posted by: Whyaxye | Tuesday, 30 April 2019 at 11:48
Aussie D:
"I have been and always will be a supporter of Israel the only truly democratic country in the cesspit known as the Middle East. I have never been there and probably never will..."
I'm a non-Jew who lived in Israel and travelled a bit there in the early 1980s. As far as I am concerned, you are absolutely right. It is a bastion against madness. I don't really care whether Jeremy Corbyn and the UK Labour leadership are technically "anti semites". The mere fact that they are anti-Israel is evidence of their stupidity and criminality.
Posted by: Whyaxye | Tuesday, 30 April 2019 at 11:54
Hear, hear y'all.
SoD
Posted by: Loz | Tuesday, 30 April 2019 at 12:12
Trump's taking Bibi for a walk on a sunny day. What's wrong with that?
Posted by: Bob | Tuesday, 30 April 2019 at 16:28
Just imagine a cartoon of the Iran supreme leader taking Obama for a walk. Of course, it wouldn't be a dog and it would have to be black.
Posted by: backofanenvelope | Tuesday, 30 April 2019 at 17:11
Or...https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/14165/what-if-the-new-york-times-cartoon-had-depicted
Posted by: Whitewall | Tuesday, 30 April 2019 at 19:49
Mind you, I suppose we all argued that Charlie Hebro's picture of the Prophet Mo with a bomb in his hat was acceptable: claims of offence trumped by freedom of expression, etc.?
To be honest, organized religion, politics, identity politics (race, class, whatever), are all worthy of taking the piss. Being picky is hypocritical.
I knew I was doing something dumb when I found myself agreeing with you lot. Should've kept schtum while I thought it through.
So, I've changed my mind: Jews, Christians, Muslims, are all fair game. You who organize yourselves into powerbases to claim offence so I can't mock you can go duck yourselves.
Jeez, you'll be banning The Life of Brian next (oh, I forgot, you already did).
SoD
Posted by: Loz | Tuesday, 30 April 2019 at 21:43
Spot on, Aussie D.
Posted by: Andra | Tuesday, 30 April 2019 at 22:13
SoD I am not suggesting they have no right to publish the cartoon. Quite the contrary. The publishers are exercising their right to freedom of speech and I defend their right to do so.
From my point of view the cartoon is disgusting and inaccurate in its assertion but useful in identifying the beliefs of those who have published it. Knowing who your enemy is is always handy.
Posted by: AussieD | Wednesday, 01 May 2019 at 01:12
"So, I've changed my mind: Jews, Christians, Muslims, are all fair game"
If only this was so!
Posted by: backofanenvelope | Wednesday, 01 May 2019 at 09:56
SoD, a back track like that can give you whip lash. I doubt mass murder of Liberal cartoonists will take place.
Posted by: Whitewall | Wednesday, 01 May 2019 at 11:43