Israel Demonizers and The Cartoonists Who Love Them
October 21, 2010 11:09 by BackSpin EditorAhmet Öztürklevent, a cartoonist whose aim was to "draw attention to the Palestinian problem and the Middle East" was presented an award at a Turkish cartoon competition.
Here's what earned ?Öztürklevent that honor:
Cartoonists demonizing Israel are dime are unfortunately common enough; but it says a lot about the people who honor these poison pens.
Pat Oliphant was guest of honor at the Australian Cartoonists' Association's annual awards for this appalling cartoon after the Gaza war; and the UK Political Cartoon Society recognized Dave Brown's depiction of Ariel Sharon eating babies as 2003's cartoon of the year.
Cartoons are very, very powerful, but these are only worth of Der Sturmer.
steve mann
2:57 pm
Oct 21, 2010
Ahmet can consider him/her self fortunate-
No one will put a fatwa on his/her head kill him/her for such a depiction at one of the Jews holiest of places-
Unlike the death threats of the Danish cartoonist`s depiction of the prophet Mohammed with a bomb in his turban.
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Laura L
6:56 pm
Oct 21, 2010
Perhaps that Turkish cartoonist might consider creating a cartoon to draw attention to the plight of the Kurds in Turkey.
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David Guy
1:59 am
Oct 23, 2010
Laura L, why stop with the Kurds? Turkish occupation of Northern Cyprus, genocide against the Armenians, blockade against Nagorno-Karabakh, invading Iraq to make war on the Kurds.
In 2008, Turkey ranked second after Russia in the list of countries with the largest number of human rights violation cases open at the European Court of Human Rights. Surely there’s a cartoon in that?
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Simon
5:36 pm
Oct 28, 2010
I think it is very true – How sad that Jews need protection in their own home land – in their own hly site – when they come armed with nothing more than a prayer book – Let’s turn this around – the IDF is protecting harmless people who want to pray!
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OZ MOSS
7:58 pm
Oct 28, 2010
/Users/ozziemoss/Pictures/BUBBA BOMB AM PHOTO160.jpg DUST FREE ROOM AFTER ALLEGED BOMBING OF THE ROOM BY ISRAEL
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Larry
10:53 pm
Oct 28, 2010
Prior to 1947 this Holy Site under ARAB RULE was a garbage dump, AND THE NEAREST ENTRANCE TO THE WALL WAS THROUGH THE DUNG GATE.
Does this tell you something???
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SR
11:53 pm
Oct 28, 2010
There is another way to look at this which might just water down that Turkish bastard’s intent. Fine, the cartoon shows a STRONG Israel that is not to be messed with, and Jews are no longer willing to get pushed around and stepped on
) Ww will do what we must to survive and prosper.
So fine, send us your cartoons. I think this may have backfired … LOL.
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Sanych
12:59 am
Oct 29, 2010
Actually, this cartoon raises a few questions.
Obviously, it shows the Western Wall where the Jews could not pray till Jerusalem was liberated in 1967.
So, why do Jews need to have soldiers’ protection to pray at their holliest site?
And why Jewish national liberation movement – unlike any other national liberation movement – is constantly under attack?
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Ed Margolis
2:59 am
Oct 29, 2010
If editorial cartoons are indeed so “very, very, powerful” and anti Israel cartoonists “are common enough,” one has to wonder why Jewish organizations give no support to pro-Israel cartoonists.
An exception is StandWitUs that has used our editorial cartoons to spearhead campaigns against Iran’s nuclear hypocrisy; J-Street’s dubious”pro-Israel” antics; and the Israel Apartheid Week hate fest
People interested in the effective use of editorial cartoons should go to divestfromterror@standwithus.com. StandWithUs in conjunction with FIght Hate with Humor is hosting a student cartoon competition on the theme of “Divest from Terror” which invites aspiring cartoonists to create effective graphic materials to confront the hyprocrisy of those who seek to delegitmize the the State of Israel. It is our goal that someday we can say that pro-Israel cartoonist are “common enough.”
EdMargolis
Fight Hate with Humor
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Lillian Tobin
3:34 am
Oct 29, 2010
It’s all a matter of perspective and interpretation:JEWISH PRAYER IS POWERFUL! Beware!Enemies of Israel. The Bible instructs very clearly:
IF SOMEONE COMES TO KILL YOU – KILL HIM FIRST!!!!!!!!!
When are those self-serving knuckleheads and ignoramuses do some HISTORICAL RESEARCH before they jump on the bandwagon to demonize an innocent people!
No people on earth have given more to the world to advance civilization – and no people on earth deserve their ancient homeland more than the Jewish People!
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Michael Suss
3:57 am
Oct 29, 2010
I agree with Simon. It is also a security wall protecting unarmed civilians at prayer against the hordes who would like to kill anyone. Don’t forget we have to have security guards at schools, community centres and synagogues, not just in Israel, but throughout the world.
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Ed Margolis
8:14 pm
Oct 29, 2010
The correct URL with regard to the rules and entry form for the “Divest from Terror,” student cartoon competition, sponsored by StandWithUs is http://www.standwithus.com/contests.
Ed Margolis
Fight Hate with Humor
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Graham Wines
2:26 am
Nov 01, 2010
I think the cartoon, which depicts a large force of soldiers having to protect innocent people from the Islamoarabic world while they pray, is an appropriate depiction.
It is a fact of life that Jews all over the world, seeking to pray in their places of worship, require protection from those seeking to slaughter them for no better reason than that they are Jews. Outside every synagogue where prayers are being uttered in the name of peace, there is a level of security seeking to stop the hate driven Islamoarabic world from seeking to cause them harm.
It is not a new phenomenon – that Jews have to protect themselves against their adversaries, and it is certainly not restricted to the most holy of Jewish prayer sites – the Western Wall of the Second Temple – Solomon’s Temple, built in 19BCE, (six hundred and forty years before the first Muslim set foot on the earth). The wall is a symbol of the three and a half thousand year long connection between the Jews, the temple, the city and the land which is theirs.
Sadly, as the Islamofascist world stretches and yawns again, calling for its followers to commit sickeningly violent attacks on this tiny country and its people in the name of their god, the need for more armed men and women atop the wall increases by the year.
But it is what is missing from this sad image that is most significant. It is the view from the top of the wall looking out, as seen by those defending soldiers atop it. What they see is an ocean of hate monger’s, wielding guns, rockets & bombs, seeking the destruction of the culture who live on the opposite side of the wall. There is no irony that the author of this cartoon – nor those who chose to give it acknowledgement, cannot see or even imagine that view.
In my opinion the cartoon is an apt depiction of the blindness which is ironically illuminated by this cartoon as seen from the Jewish side of the wall – a view its defenders see all too clearly.
Graham Wines
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A. Steinberg
3:48 am
Nov 01, 2010
Turkey’s change toard Israel was due to the EU refusing to accept a non-christian country into the club. Now, Turkey will turn east and attempt to bve a leader in the Arab, rivaling Iran. Cartoons are a small part of the new Turkish policy designed to demean Isreal and prove Turkish loyalty to Islam. Remember, Turkey tried a secular government and the west didn’t recognize or apreciate her problems. Arthur Steinberg, Salisbury, NC.
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