Conrad on Israel

For years many have thought that Conrad had a particular blind spot when it came to Israel and events in the Middle East. Invariably, his cartoons would lambaste Israel, demean her leaders, and insensitively exploit the symbol of the Jewish people, the Jewish star.

In many instances, however, it was hard to point with specificity to the inaccuracy and shortsightedness of Conrad’s imagery. With all of the hyper-attention focused on Israel, his added fillips often just blended in.

But the June 5 Conrad cartoon was, literally, the proof positive of Conrad’s blind spot. While thousands of unarmed, peaceful protesters were murdered in Beijing, while mayhem and carnage continued unabated in Beirut, while the Ayatollah died and the, as yet, unratified peace treaty between Iraq and Iran threatened to unravel, and while ethnic riots peppered with killings took place in Uzbekistan, Conrad chose, once again, to focus on Israel.

Twice in one week, Conrad’s invective and bitter pen misrepresented, exaggerated, and maligned the Jewish state (May 28 and June 5).

The challenges that a Democratic state faces in grappling with the insurrection of a hostile and violent element is a formidable one. Israel’s record in dealing with the intifada is neither beyond criticism nor improvement.

It does not, however, merit the pictorial invective that Conrad has dished out over the past 18 months and, most especially, during the past week. His moral outrage ought to be directed at those who merit his acerbic pen.

JACK M. NEWMAN

President

Regional Board

Anti-Defamation League

Los Angeles