The Australian Financial Review (AFR) has published a cartoon by David Rowe that almost defies belief:
If Der Stürmer were still around, I am sure they would have called… asking permission to reproduce it.
Even the anti-Zionists-not-antisemites might have a hard time explaining how this is “only critical of Israel”; the bloodstained Netanyahu with long nose controlling the Trump blimp; ; the “oy vey” (a Yiddish a expression used to show frustration, exasperation, or dismay), a favorite way antisemites mock Jewish people while painting us all as White Europeans; and the “Torah, Torah, Torah” – a play on Tora! Tora! Tora!, but also the name of the Holy book of the Jewish people.
Despite the understandable backlash, AFR editor-in-chief James Chessell said he approved of the cartoon and is supportive of it.
What makes this even more egregious is this is not David Rowe’s first antisemitic rodeo. In 2020, a cartoon of his depicted then Australian Treasurer, the Jewish Josh Frydenberg, holding a dollar sign with a hook nose and wearing what appeared to be a kippah.
At the time, Rowe denied antisemitism, despite the evidence to the contrary:
Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ) co-CEO Alex Ryvchin wrote to the cartoonist on Twitter, asking, “Is that the treasurer depicted with a head covering, hook nose and a dollar sign? A better way?”
Rowe responded, “It is Josh but he’s wearing a sailor’s cap as per the E Phillips Fox painting of Cook’s landing. And yes he’s carrying a dollar harpoon because he’s the treasurer. As for the nose it’s just a quick sketch.
“Apologies if you thought I was suggesting something else.”
The original Fox painting, however, does not feature a sailor’s cap, as stated in Rowe’s explanation.
The AFR adjusted a cartoon after complaints, apologised for the “unintended hurt and offence” it caused, but at the same time maintained that the cartoon contained no Jewish references.
Six years later, and the AFR has again crossed the line from provocative satire into the territory of antisemitic hate speech. The same kind of hate speech that no doubt led to the Bondi massacre, which occurred barely three and half months ago.
Yet they stand behind it.
This isn’t just about one cartoonist having another “oops” moment.
It’s about an institution deciding that Jews are fair game.
