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Readers of the Philadelphia Daily News have grown accustomed to editorial cartoonist Signe Wilkinson taking unfair shots at Israel. Wilkinson struck again in early May, with three cartoons critical of Israel in a single 5-day period. But this time, the Daily News surprised its readers by also running a cartoon sharply critical of Yasir Arafat--although Wilkinson was not the one who drew it, naturally.
On May 5, Wilkinson presented a cartoon to accompany the News's editorial and special supplement on Israel's 50th anniversary. She could have chosen any one of the countless positive themes available, such as some of Israel's incredible scientific or cultural accomplishments, or its ingathering of millions of Jewish refugees from the four corners of the globe. But instead, Wilkinson chose a negative theme. The cartoon showed three heavily-armed Israeli soldiers, one with a bomb-sniffing dog, inspecting packages at a "Welcome to Israel" conveyor belt. The packages bear labels reading "Happy Birthday," "Mazel Tov!," and "Congrats on 50 Years as a Safe Haven." Wilkinson's sarcastic jibe was meant to show that Israel, far from being the "safe haven" to which it aspires, is still a scary and dangerous place. Some 50th birthday greeting.
And it got worse.
The next day, Wilkinson drew Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Yasir Arafat, sitting at a table across from each other, both scowling. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright is saying, "We're bringing in the only guy who could deal with you two," and talk show host Jerry Springer is seen approaching. After chuckling over the Springer joke, the average reader is left with the clear impression that both Israel and Arafat are equally to blame for the absence of Middle East peace. That's quite a statement to make. Israel honors everything in Oslo, Arafat violates everything in Oslo, and they're equally guilty, equally stubborn equally in need of a Jerry Springer to host their wrestling match. Israel has given up land (including 80% of Hebron and the regions where 98% of the Palestinian Arabs reside), released imprisoned Arab terrorists, initiated negotiations to give Arafat an airport and a seaport, and more; while Arafat refuses to disarm or extradite terrorists, change the PLO Covenant, jail terrorists, or anything else.
On May 9, Wilkinson had another birthday "greeting" for Israel. The cartoon showed Israelis singing, dancing, and shooting off fireworks in celebrating the 50th anniversary of their independence. A sad-looking Yasir Arafat is sitting off on the side, on a rock, and a Native American standing next to him says, "I feel the same way on the Fourth of July." Wilkinson's simplistic attempt to create an analogy between the Palestinian Arabs and Native Americans betrays utter ignorance of Middle East history.
It is the Jews, not the Arabs, who are comparable to the Native Americans. It is the Jews who were the inhabitants of the Land of Israel going all the way back to biblical times, just as the Native Americans inhabited North America since time immemorial. It is the Jews who were slaughtered and driven out by Assyrians, Babylonians, Romans and so on, just as the Native Americans were slaughtered and driven out of their homes by the Europeans who invaded North America.
Three days later, the Daily News finally published an anti-Arafat cartoon--but not by Signe Wilkinson. The cartoon was the work of Jim Berry, and the News picked it up from the Newspaper Enterprise Association, the distributor of Berry's work. It showed Arafat gently slapping a hooded terrorist on the wrist, and saying "...And, if you commit any more terrorist acts, I shall slap you much harder." Berry's simple drawing perfectly captured the essence of Arafat's outrageous refusal to punish terrorists who murder Israelis.
If the editors of the News received some mail from readers who appreciated Berry's cartoon, and who are getting fed up with Wilkinson's blasts at Israel, perhaps the News would consider running Berry's cartoons more often.