The Washington Post quickly removed a cartoon of a Hamas terrorist after some readers called it “racist.”
The political cartoon, titled “Human Shields,” showed a big-nosed Hamas extremist with infants, children and women tied to him, asking, “How dare Israel attack civilians…”
The cartoon was published online and in the print edition of the newspaper on Wednesday, November 8th.
The cartoon, drawn by cartoonist Michael Ramirez, was sharply criticized by some who saw it as a discriminatory depiction of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, although it is unclear whether Haniyeh was the intended subject.
In response, David Shipley, editor of the outlet’s opinion section, apologized for authorizing publication in a note to readers on Wednesday.
“The reaction to the image convinced me that I was missing something profound and divisive, and for that I regret,” Shipley wrote.
The Washington Post removed and apologized: “How dare Israel attack civilians?”
The depiction is by Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Michael Ramirez, whose future at The Washington Post is not mentioned in the magazine’s apology
Shipley continued in his apology: “Our section aims to find common ground and understand the bonds that hold us together even in the darkest of times.”
The editor said the cartoon was originally intended to satirize a Hamas spokesman, but the backlash led him to believe the cartoon went against the “spirit” of his section.
The apology note also included several outraged letters calling the drawing a “gross misrepresentation” and “blatant mockery” of the Middle East crisis.
“The cartoons used racist stereotypes that were offensive and disturbing.” “Depicting Arabs with exaggerated facial features and depicting women in derogatory, stereotypical roles perpetuates racism and gender bias, which is completely unacceptable,” wrote a Fairfax reader, Virginia, in a letter.
Suzanne van Geuns, a research fellow at Princeton University, said in a separate letter: “I am a religion and media scholar; I recognize a deeply racist depiction of the “heathen” and his barbaric cruelty toward women and children when I see it again in Michael Ramirez’s November 8 editorial cartoon.
“It is in no way informative, helpful or thought-provoking to view this conflict through the lens of 19th century colonialists.”
Washington Post opinion editor David Shipley apologized for approving the cartoon, saying the backlash to the image “convinced me that I had missed something profound and non-divisive, and for that I regret.”
The Washington Post contained angry letters from readers as it removed the cartoon, which it said “grossly mischaracterized” and “blatantly mocked” the Middle East crisis.
Since the cartoon was published, numerous activists have also spoken out to condemn the Washington Post’s decision to publish it.
“This is the Washington Post.” “This is the kind of anti-Palestinian racism that is acceptable for publication,” said Palestinian-American poet Remi Kanazi.
Left-wing British commentator Owen Jones added on Twitter: “This racist dehumanization is always a prerequisite for mass killings like those currently taking place in Gaza.”
“The racism is not even subtle,” he said.
Ramirez has also come under fire in the days since the cartoon’s release, with some noting that his work is typically published weekly, but this week’s cartoon was his first since late September.
Ramirez’s future at the Washington Post, the two-time Pulitzer Prize winner, was not mentioned in the paper’s apology.
Although he hasn’t published a drawing for the Washington Post since the October 7 Hamas attacks, the cartoonist has published several for the Review-Journal.
That included another controversial take on the U.S. response to the Israel-Gaza conflict, released last week, showing a woman wearing a “Black Lives Matter” T-shirt and holding a sign reading “Terrorist Lives Matter ” and “Blame Israel”. Support Hamas.’
Ramirez sparked controversy again last week when he showed a cartoon of a woman wearing a “Black Lives Matter” T-shirt and holding a sign that read “Terrorist Lives Matter” and “Blame Israel.” Support Hamas
While some reacted with anger to Ramirez’s latest Hamas cartoon, others saw it as a valid statement regarding terrorist groups’ attacks on children.
Hamas’ October 7 attacks killed over 1,400 people and took about 240 hostage, including many women and children.
Israeli authorities also report that Hamas killed at least 31 children in its attacks and in the aftermath.
Last week, Jason Lee, Save The Children’s director for the Palestinian territories, told The Washington Post that two out of five civilian deaths in Gaza were children.
On social media, many responded to criticism of Ramirez’s portrayal in “Human Shields,” asking, “What’s wrong with that?”
“If this offends you, you should REALLY see some of the cartoons they are putting out in Gaza, especially after October 7th,” one Twitter user said.
Another added: “Although not subtle, it represents a very sad reality that you SHOULD acknowledge.”