Simon Wiesenthal Center Urges Germans to Protest Anti-Semitic Depiction of Israel in Leading Newspaper

The Simon Wiesenthal Center denounced the "Süddeutsche Zeitung" newspaper for publishing a visual depicting Israel as a monstrous,ravenous Moloch.

"Let us be clear - like every other democracy, Israel is never above reproach or criticism.However, the depiction of the Jewish state as a ravenous monster deploys a classic tool of dehumanization/animalization. Such horrific stereotypes were all-too devastatingly deployed bythe propaganda machines of both Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union," charged Rabbi Abraham Cooper, associate dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center.

"Further, the characterization of the Jewish State as a ravenous Moloch - an idol to whom children were sacrificed - is a blatantanti-Semitic canard. The attempt to mention a Jewish critic of Israel is a failed fig leaf that neither justifies nor covers up the hate masquerading as political commentary," Cooperadded.

"The Simon Wiesenthal Center urges the editors to apologize to their readers, the Jewish community and the State of Israel. We alsohope that German NGOs and personalities will publicly denounce this slander."

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The caption reads: "Germany is serving. For decades now, Israel has been given weapons, in parts for free. Israel's enemies think itis a ravenous Moloch. Peter Beinart deplores this situation."

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The Simon Wiesenthal Center is one of the largest international Jewish human rights organizations with over 400,000 member families inthe United States. It is an NGO at international agencies including the United Nations, UNESCO, the OSCE, the OAS, the Council of Europe and the Latin American Parliament(Parlatino).