The B’nai B’rith Anti-Defamation Commission (ADC), Australia’s leading civil and human rights organisation fighting hatred in all its forms, has registered its concern about two cartoons with strong anti-Jewish themes seen on the door of Professor Thomas Fudge at the University of New England. The cartoons, by Brazilian Carlos Latuff, who was awarded second prize in the Iranian Holocaust cartoon competition, portray Jews in a demeaning and stereotypical way. In one cartoon, a Jewish boy screams, “Anti-Semitism! Anti-Semitism!” to a pro-Palestinian protester holding a placard with the words, “Free Palestine! End Occupation!” In another, an angry Jewish man, jumps out of his arm chair to break a fire extinguisher box containing a megaphone, beneath an inscription, “In case of increasing of world support to Palestine, break the glass and shout anti-Semitism” when he hears of a pro-Palestine rally.
Dr. Abramovich, Chairman of the ADC, issued the following statement:
“Imagine being a Jewish student, about to enter the office for a consultation, and being confronted with these disturbing and offensive posters which demonise and portray Jews and Israelis in a highly negative way. Surely, that student would feel very uncomfortable engaging with this lecturer. In a climate of rising in anti-Semitism on Australian campuses, such troubling representations and blatant propagandizing will only further isolate Jewish students and make them feel unwelcome. Clearly, these posters do not belong at any educational institution and undermine the university as a place where students are all treated equally and are accorded respect regardless of their background. Imagine the outcry if other ethnic, religious and cultural groups were depicted in such a way. The two pictures, peddling the familiar “crying wolf” theme, suggest that the nefarious, fanatical, manipulative Jews default to labelling anyone who speaks up for the Palestinians as anti-Semitic. The shepherd boy, with the Star of David on his shirt, is draped with orthodox Jewish symbols—the yarmulke, the long curled sideburns— and the manner in which he is drawn contains echoes from virulent anti- Semitic literature through the centuries. A pistol at his hip and an assault rifle over his shoulder, his aggressiveness is unmistakably on display as he shouts at the calm protester who has his hand in his pocket. The posters perversely flip reality, showing Jews as gun-toting extremists, and Palestinians or Palestinian advocates as peace-loving, passive advocates, holding up placards and seeking reconciliation. To suggest that Jews and Israelis are militant and extremists, while those on the other side are pacifists and reposed, is profoundly removed from the truth. While academics are entitled to their own personal views and political agenda, these should be not be thrust on students within a university setting. There is also the risk that students may come to believe that the university endorses those images and accepts their validity, and as such the administration should assure its students that this is not the case.”
The Anti-Defamation Commission, founded in 1979, is Australia’s leading organization fighting anti-Semitism through educational programs that combat bigotry, prejudice and all forms of hatred.
For further information please contact Dr Dvir Abramovich on (03) 9272 5677.