New York’s Jewish community protested on April 29 against an anti-Semitic cartoon published by the New York Times.
The anti-Semitic cartoon depicting President Donald Trump and Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was published in the newspaper on April 25. In response, Dov Hikend—former New York assemblyman and organizer of the protest—condemned the rising anti-Semitism in America in front of the New York Times building.
Enough is enough! Enough Jewish blood spilled at synagogues in Poway & Pittsburgh. Enough blatant and virulent anti-Semitism from the @nytimes! Enough naked Anti-Semitism from @IlhanMN! Enough complicit silence by leaders of the Democratic Party! Enough!! pic.twitter.com/t9JyaiBQKz
— Dov Hikind (@HikindDov) April 30, 2019
“To me—literally, when I first saw it—it reminded me of the kind of cartoons I saw that were produced by Goebbels in Nazi Germany,” Hikend told NTD News. “What person who works for the New York Times thought that this was a fair depiction?”
Another disgusting display of vile antisemitic trope celebrated in the @nytimesworld. The @nytimes is signaling to the world that antisemitism is real, here, and welcome. pic.twitter.com/crv9vvVUAw
— Adam Milstein (@AdamMilstein) April 26, 2019
The Times published an apology for the anti-Semitic cartoon two days after its publication, blaming its publication on “a faulty process” and “a single editor without adequate oversight.” But Hikend said their apology was not good enough.
“They need to apologize … to the prime minister of Israel; they need to apologize to the president of the United States; and they need to apologize to the Jewish people,” said Hikend.
Where Is the Accountability?
Like the Times, Hikend said the Democratic Party has failed to address the anti-Semitism in their own ring. The president made similar comments after a watered-down resolution condemning anti-Semitism was passed. It happened in the wake of the Democratic Party’s failing to adequately reprimand Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) for making anti-Semitic comments, according to President Trump.
“I thought yesterday’s vote by the House was disgraceful, because … the Democrats have become an anti-Israel party,” President Trump told reporters on March 8. “They’ve become an anti-Jewish party.”
President Trump: “I thought yesterday’s vote by the House was disgraceful, because it’s become — the Democrats have become an anti-Israel party. They’ve become an anti-Jewish party. And I thought that vote was a disgrace and so does everybody else if you get an honest answer.” pic.twitter.com/TNmPRMwNJA
— CSPAN (@cspan) March 8, 2019
Hikend said it seems that the Democratic Party takes matters of bigotry lightly when it comes to Jews and Israel.
‘Obsessed With Israel’s Prime Minister’
A second cartoon depicting Netanyahu was published by the Times two days after the first outrage. The decision was controversial.
Wait…the @nytimes featured ANOTHER Netanyahu cartoon? This one AFTER the Thursday cartoon depicting Netanyahu as a dog? Am I reading this right? Is the Times obsessed with Israel’s prime minister? pic.twitter.com/r1KsSaYWtw
— Dan Senor (@dansenor) April 29, 2019
“Journalists get fired at newspapers when they cross a certain line—it’s happened so many times … It may have been an editor, but there were other people who saw this and thought that it was perfectly legitimate, appropriate, proper, etc.” said Hikend. “So, who are those people?”