Guardian ‘refuses’ to publish Steve Bell cartoon of Netanyahu
Press GazetteOct 16, 2023
After he submitted a controversial sketch of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, British newspaper The Guardian announced on Monday it would not renew veteran cartoonist Steve Bell's contract.
According to Bell, The Guardian accused him of "deploying antisemitic tropes" and refused to publish his work. The cartoonist had been associated with the newspaper for over 40 years.
The Guardian deserves praise for not running an egregiously disrespectful cartoon. This incident is not the first involving Bell, The Guardian, and allegations of anti-Semitism against his drawings. Political cartoons are meant to elicit responses, but anti-Semitism has no place in them at all. The Guardian had every right to make the business decision not to renew Bell's contract.
Bell's cartoon addresses Netanyahu's disastrous policy blunder, which has led to the shocking humanitarian situation in Gaza. The Guardian is free to decide not to publish the comic if it so wishes with its editorial process, and this personnel move went too far.