The October 7 Hamas massacre was the deadliest single attack against Jews since the Holocaust. Hamas terrorists raided dozens of Israeli communities near the Gaza Strip, using paragliders, motorcycles and SUVs, and murdered over 1,200 people, taking more than 240 people hostage. At least 130 remain in captivity.
In response, Israel launched a massive military campaign in Gaza aimed at eradicating the threat posed by Hamas and other terrorists and bringing home the hostages.
Alongside the outpouring of international support for Israel, there has been a surge in antisemitism and hateful anti-Israel rhetoric around the world, including in the Middle East.
This report focuses on political cartoons from numerous news sites across the Middle East, as well as UK-based Arabic-language ones, which include antisemitic and harsh anti-Israel themes focused on Israel’s response to the Oct. 7th massacre. They invoke antisemitic tropes, including the claim that Israel and Jews control US politics, Western media, and the international community. They reference Holocaust and other Nazi analogies, including comparing Israel’s prime minister to Hitler, the current war to the Holocaust, and Gaza to an extermination camp. Jewish religious symbols – specifically the Jewish Menorah – are often depicted as weapons, Israel is dehumanized and demonized through depictions of animals (more on this here), and the age-old blood libel charge is resurfaced against Israel.
Cartoons
Al-Masri Al-Yawm, December 5, 2023 (Egypt)
Hespress, December 4, 2023 (Morocco)
Written in Arabic in the backdrop: “Gaza.”
Al-Arabi Al-Jadid, December 2, 2023 (UK)
In Arabic: “Western Media.”
Al-Bilad, November 27, 2023 (Bahrain)
Arab News, November 27, 2023 (Saudi Arabia)
Al-Bilad, November 26, 2023 (Bahrain)
The cartoon’s title: “The Ugliness of Artificial Beauty.”
Al-Masry Al-Yawm, November 26, 2023 (Egypt)
The Anchor of “Israel TV” is saying to the viewers who are eating a baby: “Dear viewers, a short break due to the lull … we’ll be back afterwards to continue the massacre shortly!”
Al-Rai, November 23, 2023 (Jordan)
Al-Bilad, November 22, 2023 (Bahrain)
Al-Bilad, November 21, 2023 (Bahrain)
Al-Bilad, November 20, 2023 (Bahrain)
Written in Arabic: “We condemn;” “We denounce;” “We censure;” “We warn.”
Al-Watan, November 20, 2023 (Qatar)
The cartoon’s title: “The Lie of Zionist Media.”
Al-Bilad, November 19, 2023 (Bahrain)
Al-Bilad, November 18, 2023 (Bahrain)
The cartoon’s title: “Filter.”
Al-Watan, November 18, 2023 (Qatar)
The cartoon’s title: “The World’s Shock by Zionism’s Crimes.”
Al-Masry Al-Yawm, November 18, 2023 (Egypt)
Written in Arabic: “Israel Raises its Flag on Shifa Hospital.”
Hespress, November 17, 2023 (Morocco)
Al-Bilad, November 16, 2023 (Bahrain)
Note: This cartoon was published following Israel’s raid on Gaza’s main hospital.
Al-Watan, November 16, 2023 (Qatar)
Al-Sharq, November 16, 2023 (Qatar)
Written in Arabic: “Shifa Hospital.”
Al-Masry Al-Yawm, November 16, 2023 (Egypt)
Hespress, November 15, 2023 (Morocco)
The microphone represents “western media.”
Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, November 15, 2023 (UK)
Oman, November 14, 2023 (Oman)
Al-Watan, November 14, 2023 (Oman)
Al-Ghad, November 14, 2023 (Jordan)
The cartoon’s title: “The Zionist Entity’s Crimes against Gaza.”
Al-Rai, November 14, 2023 (Jordan)
Al-Bilad, November 13, 2023 (Bahrain)
Al-Sharq, November 13, 2023 (Qatar)
Al-Iqtisadiyya, November 13, 2023 (Saudi Arabia)
Written in Arabic: “Gaza.”
Al-Sharq, November 12, 2023 (Qatar)
Depicted as Hitler, Israeli PM Netanyahu is saying: “Mirror, Mirror, on the wall, who is the most brutal in history?”
Al-Bilad, November 11, 2023 (Bahrain)
Al-Arabi Al-Jadid, November 10, 2023 (UK)
President Biden is saying: “A humanitarian pause!!”
Al-Bilad, November 9, 2023 (Bahrain)
Al-Bilad, November 8, 2023 (Bahrain)
Arab News, November 8, 2023 (Saudi Arabia)
Al-Ghad, November 7, 2023 (Jordan)
Israeli PM Netanyahu is shown drinking the blood of Gazans.
Al-Watan, November 6, 2023 (Qatar)
The newspaper headline reads: “The World Implores Israel to Stop the Aggression against Gaza.”
Holding the newspaper and laughing is a stereotypical Jewish figure representing Israel.
Al-Quds Al-Arabi, November 5, 2023 (UK)
Al-Bilad, November 5, 2023 (Bahrain)
President Biden is saying: “Israel does not deliberately target civilians in Gaza.”
Al-Wasat, November 4, 2023 (Libya)
Al-Ghad, November 4, 2023 (Jordan)
Al-Quds Al-Arabi, November 3, 2023 (UK)
Hespress, November 3, 2023 (Morocco)
Akhbar Al-Youm, November 2, 2023 (Egypt)
The leaf represents “Palestine.”
Akhbar Al-Youm, November 1, 2023 (Egypt)
The cartoon’s title: “Halloween.”
The caption below reads: “Apologies to the film The Scream, as reality is more painful than the imagination!”
The woman with a knife to her throat represents Gaza.
Al-Bilad, October 31, 2023 (Bahrain)
Al-Bilad, October 27, 2023 (Bahrain)
Al-Sharq, October 27, 2023 (Qatar)
The cartoon’s title: “Freedom.”
Al-Masry Al-Youm, October 26, 2023 (Egypt)
In Arabic: “Western Media.”
Al-Masry Al-Youm, October 25, 2023 (Egypt)
Al-Sharq, October 25, 2023 (Qatar)
The cartoon’s title: “Gaza… A Zionist Extermination Camp.”
Al-Rai, October 24, 2023 (Jordan)
Hespress, October 22, 2023 (Morocco)
Israeli PM Netanyahu is saying: “More support.”
Al-Jarida, October 22, 2023 (Kuwait)
The shark-fin emblazoned with a Star of David represents “western media.”
Al-Bilad, October 21, 2023 (Bahrain)
Al-Wasat, October 20, 2023 (Libya)
Al-Ghad, October 20, 2023 (Jordan)
Israeli PM Netanyahu is using a cloth drencehd in blood, which represents Gaza, in order to blindfold President Biden.
Al-Iqtisadiyya, October 20, 2023 (Saudi Arabia)
Depicted as a crocodile, Israel is devouring Gaza.
Hespress, October 19, 2023 (Morocco)
The pool table represents Gaza, and the figure on the left represents the Arab world.
Al-Masry Al-Youm, October 19, 2023 (Egypt)
Uncle Sam is saying: “Bibi does what he wants.”
Akhbar Al-Youm, October 18, 2023 (Egypt)
The cartoon’s title: “The War on Gaza.”
The arm represents “defenseless civilians.”
On the right, with a swastika on his arm, is Israeli PM Netanyahu.
Al-Ghad, October 18, 2023 (Jordan)
Headline: “The Baptist Hospital Massacre (Gaza).”
Oman Daily, October 18, 2023 (Oman)
Al-Masry Al-Youm, October 17, 2023 (Egypt)
Akhbar Al-Youm, October 17, 2023 (Egypt)
Taking place at “Cohen’s Printing House,” the cartoon shows the salesperson saying to the customer: “There is no mistake whatsoever.. I completely omitted the month of October from the new year, we saved paper and costs.”
Oman Daily, October 16, 2023 (Oman)
Al-Quds, October 16, 2023 (Palestinian Authority)
Al-Watan, October 16, 2023 (Oman)
Al-Jarida, October 15, 2023 (Kuwait)
The figure blindfolded by the Israeli flag represents the West.
The sign below points to “Israeli violations.”
Al-Bilad, October 14, 2023 (Bahrain)
Al-Quds, October 14, 2023 (Palestinian Authority)
HesPress, October 14, 2023 (Morocco)
Note: this cartoon appeared under the caption “The Killing of Journalists.”
Al-Ghad, October 14, 2023 (Jordan)
Al-Quds, October 13, 2023 (Palestinian Authority)
Headline: “Western Media”
Al-Ghad, October 12, 2023 (Jordan)
The title of the cartoon reads: “Steadfast Gaza.”
The snake represents Israel and is shown wrapped around Gaza.
Al-Bilad, October 12, 2023 (Bahrain)
Arab News, October 10, 2023 (Saudi Arabia)
