Publication of a political cartoon bearing “antisemitic tropes” pressured a Pennsylvania newspaper’s editorial team to issue an apology “regardless of the interpretation.”
“We hear the outcry…”
Tuesday, the same day that leftists and pro-Hamas sycophants jumped at the opportunity to accuse the Israel Defense Forces of bombing a hospital in Gaza, The Philadelphia Inquirer ran a political cartoon portraying Israel as the villain.
Faced with intense backlash, by the following afternoon The Inquirer Editorial Board had published a carefully crafted apology that both condemned the attacks from the terrorists and promoted their willingness to share “an array of viewpoints on the events in the Middle East.”
The cartoon in question had been drawn by Monte Wolverton and featured a large military-style boot adorned with a Star of David preparing to crush a group of people, some brandishing rifles, labeled Hamas. The figure representing Israel was stating “Distance yourselves!” suggestive of the civilians that the terrorists used as human shields in Gaza to demonize the response from Israel.
— Monte Wolverton (@montewolverton) October 14, 2023
“The Inquirer Editorial Board regrets the publication of an editorial cartoon by Monte Wolverton of the Cagle Cartoons syndicate that appeared in Tuesday’s editions,” their apology began.
“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. Regardless of the interpretation, the illustration reinforces pernicious antisemitic tropes about Israeli aggression,” continued the editorial board before signaling their own virtue.
“The Inquirer Editorial Board condemned the heinous attacks days after they occurred, and has expressed its unequivocal belief that Israel has the right to defend itself from Hamas’ aggression,” the apology stated, linking to an op-ed published the Tuesday after the horrific slaughter as even then Israel’s anticipated response was portrayed as problematic. “While the despicable attacks are hard to comprehend and must be condemned, the fallout could be even more chaotic as Israel prepares for a long and bloody war that could roil the Middle East and upend politics in the United States and around the globe.”
The apology continued, “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.”
As a result, the board indicated that they were reviewing the process by which such cartoons are approved “to prevent failures like this one from occurring again.”
The cartoonist himself had not appeared to issue any statement on the controversy and, though insisting “We welcome your feedback, and we look forward to continuing the conversation,” the editorial board’s apology was not featured on their social media account.
That fact didn’t stop the public from reacting directly to Wolverton’s cartoon as users reacted to the “shameful” imagery calling it, among other things, “a load of antisemitic garbage” and a “Mad Magazine rip-off parody.”
This cartoon is shameful.
— allie (@AllieWag) October 19, 2023
What a load of antisemitic garbage.
— There’s No “I” in Teamocil (@marylanestrow) October 20, 2023
This thing is an antisimetic Mad Magazine rip-off parody, right?
Can’t be real
— Jon Munce (@jonmunce) October 20, 2023
Did you go to bed on October 6th and wake up on the 8th? You are repulsive.
— Sarah the Matriach #JusticeforMalkiRoth (@SMatriach) October 19, 2023
A straight up nazi cartoon in support of Hamas. Wolverton needs some accountability in his life.
— John Scott (@ScottJohn23) October 20, 2023
Nice moral relativism you antisemitic piece of trash.
— Count Klossowski de Rola (@CountdeRola) October 20, 2023
Native of Brooklyn, NY, Kevin Haggerty is a graduate of Hunter College where he studied Cultural Anthropology and Geography. An avid reader and truth seeker, he currently resides in Texas with his wife and their dog and, when he isn't researching current events and their impacts, you'll find him spending time with friends and family or working on his next novel.
- Starbucks execs say Seattle is a keeper, but their real estate search in Tennessee says another - March 18, 2026
- Chief Justice Roberts takes shot at Trump after nuclear hot blast at SCOTUS, judges - March 18, 2026
- Democrat hack cuts CNBC clip out of context and the spin is shameless, as usual - March 18, 2026
Comment
We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.