Mosaic Of Diversity Alert: Anti-Semitic Cartoons in Toronto Arabic Newspaper

Anti-Semitic Cartoons in Toronto Arabic Newspaper

Editor of Toronto Arabic newspaper calls on Palestinians to thank Iran, Syria and Hizballah for weapons used to bomb Israeli cities; warns that in future Palestinians will get even with Israel for all its 'crimes' Jonathan D. Halevi

An Arabic newspaper published in Toronto expresses support for Hamas and Palestinian organizations that participated in recent conflict with Israel, during which thousands of rockets and mortar shells were launched from the Gaza strip toward Israeli towns and villages.

The newspaper editor Dr. Nazih Khatatba, who is also a board member of the 'Palestine House' in Mississauga, deems the shelling of Israeli towns a very important achievement of the 'Palestinian resistance', and calls on the Palestinian leadership to openly thank Iran, the Assad regime in Syria, and the Hizballah for the weapons they transported to the Gaza strip, then used to attack Israel.

Looking to the future, Khatatba foresees that the Palestinian people will continue to make political and military gains due to the new reality in the Middle East, and in the end will bring those supporting Israel, headed by the US and Britain, to apologize to them and grant them reparations. As for Israel, the newspaper editor notes that apologies and reparations are not enough, alluding in effect to future Palestinian revenge.

Following is a translation of the main points in the op-ed column by Dr. Nazih Khatatba in the 'Meshwar' newspaper, volume 66, from November 30, 2012, page 8 (Hebrew version in Shalom Toronto):

'It is essential to add this achievement (the article was published in advance of the UN recognition of Palestine as a non member observer state) to the triumph that the resistance in Gaza achieved due to its firm endurance and launching of hundreds of rockets on Israeli cities. These rockets dented Israel's deterrence and created a new reality, that no one can deny, principally the Palestinian leadership, of the role of the popular and military resistance to improve the conditions in any future negotiations with Israel'.

'Another lesson we should take into mind is not to capitulate to the new alliances being forged in the region (the Middle East) led by the Gulf states, particularly Saudi Arabia and Qatar, under cover of the Arab spring, against Iran and Hizballah, and their designation as a central enemy, in addition to the deepening disagreements and ethnic and religious disputes, all these at the expense of the conflict with the Israeli enemy'.

'The unyielding fortitude and victory that Gaza achieved would not have materialized without the unconstrained help of Iran, Syria and Hizballah, who provided weaponry, rockets, training and financing…'.

'There is a dispute as to what is happening now in Syria, which affects relationships in the region, but this must not blind us from seeing the truth. They celebrated with the resistance (in its victory), carried on their backs the difficulties and heavy payload, and always assisted the resistance and supported it. Now, in light of the continued aggression, these factors are continuing with their effort to help Gaza with weapons….'.

'The Palestinian resistance should speak out loud and clear and not be afraid to express gratitude to Iran, Syria and Hizballah….'. 'The Palestinian people will continue to expose the hypocrisy of the West and the international injustice until it regains all (emphasized in source) its stolen lands and forces states like the US and Britain who supported its enemies to apologize and pay reparations. As for Israel, this racist nation, the attitude toward it will be totally different, far beyond apology and reparations, because its crime is much bigger'.

The newspaper published in this same volume three cartoons containing evident anti-Semitic characteristics.

Two of the cartoons (pages 12 & 13) copied from Arab and Palestinian newspapers, present 'Zionist' figures, resembling anti-Semitic stereotypes, with big noses and malicious faces.

The third cartoon (page 28) drawn by Hamas activist Umayya Juha, depicts a body of a Palestinian boy on a plate. The eater, who has a Star of David on his apron, is cutting the body of the bleeding Palestinian boy with a knife on which is written 'Arab silence', and a fork with a picture of the US flag. Beside the plate is a cup full of blood.

Volume number 53 of the 'Meshwar' newspaper dated July 1, 2012, published a song lauding five Palestinian terror activists, one of them a suicide bomber. The song was dedicated to the five terrorists on the occasion of the return of their corpses to the Palestinian Authority.