You’d think UNESCO, an organization devoted to art and culture, would be savvy enough to respect satire and “get the joke,” even when UNESCO itself is part of the humor.
Think again.
The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization leadership thinks this Haaretz cartoon incites violence and filed an official complaint with the Israeli delegation.
1. This is making fun of Bibi, not UNESCO.
2. The cartoon expresses Israeli frustration with UNESCO — no more, no less.
3. Who the heck’s going to be incited by this cartoon anyway? Haaretz’s typical reader?
4. Unlike many other UNESCO members, Israel has a free press; the government has no control over editorial cartoons. Piqued officials are free to write a letter to Haaretz, however.
5. Now that UNESCO’s lost 22 percent of its budget, it can’t afford to alienate its remaining donors by criticizing real sources of incitement, like, say Palestinian Authority TV, or Muslims who recently firebombed Charlie Hebdo, a French satirical magazine that republished the Mohammed cartoons.
But the UN body has nothing to lose by picking on Israel . . .
© Divuach Ne’eman R”A, 2025
