The Guardian has not renewed its contract with cartoonist Steve Bell after his paintings depicting the Israeli prime minister was “pulled” from publication.
Mr Bell confirmed his sketch of Benjamin Netanyahu within the wake of the Hamas assault on Israel had been “spiked” by the writer.
The picture confirmed the Israeli prime minister making ready to function on his personal abdomen sporting boxing gloves, the place a top level view of the Gaza Strip may very well be seen with the caption “Residents of Gaza, get out now”.
Steve Bell’s cartoons have been an vital a part of The Guardian over the previous 40 years – we thank him and want him all the most effective
Guardian Information and Media spokesperson
On Monday, a spokesperson for Guardian Information and Media mentioned: “The choice has been made to not renew Steve Bell’s contract.
“Steve Bell’s cartoons have been an vital a part of The Guardian over the previous 40 years – we thank him and want him all the most effective.”
Mr Bell posted a collection of tweets saying he had obtained a “surprisingly cryptic message” throughout a cellphone name with Guardian employees referencing a “pound of flesh” after he first submitted the cartoon.
The artist mentioned he had responded saying: “I’m sorry, I don’t perceive, I mentioned and obtained this much more mysterious reply: ‘Jewish bloke; pound of flesh; antisemitic trope’. Clearly it was self-evident, anyone may see it…”
It has been reported {that a} pound of flesh may very well be in reference to Shylock, the Jewish moneylender in Shakespeare’s The Service provider Of Venice.
“It’s getting fairly nigh unimaginable to attract this topic for the Guardian now with out being accused of deploying ‘antisemitic tropes’,” Mr Bell beforehand mentioned on Twitter.
Mr Bell’s last cartoon for The Guardian confirmed Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s “resolution to scrap HS2 leg” on October 4.
