MONTREAL: A Montreal daily faced accusations of anti-Semitism on Wednesday over its depiction in a cartoon of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a vampire.
La Presse, a digital-only French-language newspaper, showed Netanyahu with pointed ears and claws, standing in a long coat on the deck of a sailing ship, reminiscent of the vampire in the 1922 film Nosferatu.
Beneath it was a caption that read “Nosfenyahou en route to Rafah.”
Long-standing anti-Semitic tropes, including those used by the Nazis, have likened Jews to vampires. The head of La Press apologized and said the cartoon was meant as a criticism of the Israeli government and not the Jewish people.
Concern has mounted in Canada and globally over the military conflict in Gaza — including a planned Israeli assault on the city of Rafah — in which Netanyahu has vowed to destroy Hamas in response to a deadly attack by its militants on Oct. 7.
Canadian politicians, Jewish leaders and others immediately criticized the cartoon, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau who called it “distasteful.”
“It is unacceptable to bring back anti-Semitism and allusions like that,” Trudeau said.
Several of Trudeau’s ministers were also critical of the cartoon, calling it “egregious” and an “anti-Semitic trope,” and warning that it risked increasing already high tensions in Canada related to the fighting in Gaza.
By midday the cartoon had been taken down and La Presse issued an apology.
Its editor-in-chief Stephanie Grammond said the cartoon was meant to be a criticism of the Israeli government, “not the Jewish people.”
“It was never our intention to promote anti-Semitism or harmful stereotypes,” Grammond said.
Montreal is home to a large Jewish community.
Montreal newspaper faces backlash over Netanyahu vampire cartoon
https://arab.news/2phsv
Montreal newspaper faces backlash over Netanyahu vampire cartoon
- Montreal is home to a large Jewish community
Saudi Journalists Association board meets in Al-Ahsa, holds talks with IFJ chief
- SJA’s board of directors’ discussions focused on strengthening international partnerships and developing association assets
- IFJ Secretary-General Anthony Bellanger praised role of Saudi women on the board
LONDON: The board of directors of the Saudi Journalists Association held its fifth meeting in Al-Ahsa Governorate under the chairmanship of Adhwan Mohammed Al-Ahmari, with discussions focused on strengthening international partnerships and developing the association’s assets.
The board reviewed proposals from banks and financial companies to invest in and develop the association’s land in the Al Sahafa district of Riyadh.
Members also discussed ways to bolster cooperation with the International Federation of Journalists and the Gulf Press Union, underscoring the SJA’s growing international role.
At the close of the meeting, Al-Ahmari hosted IFJ Secretary-General Anthony Bellanger, who praised the association’s work in serving media professionals and highlighted the prominent role played by Saudi women on the board.
Al-Ahmari, in turn, commended the efforts of the SJA’s Al-Ahsa branch in hosting meetings of the Gulf Press Unions, the Federation of West Asian Journalists and the association’s board.
He also expressed his gratitude to Al-Ahsa Governorate, the Saudi Tourism Authority, and the Saudi Railway Company for their support.
Al-Ahmari said choosing Al-Ahsa reflects the association’s strategy to diversify its activities thtoughout the Kingdom and display the cultural diversity of its regions to international guests, supporting the Tourism Authority’s media outreach and the positive impressions shared by visitors.
