Private Eye Israel front page has created a lot of fierce debate, many people have praised the satirical magazine, while the publication has also been accused of ‘antisemitic tropes.’
Private Eye Israel
The cover says: “Warning: This magazine may contain some criticism of the Israeli government and may suggest that killing everyone in Gaza as revenge for Hamas atrocities may not be a good long-term solution to problems of the region.”
Fierce debate
In support of Ian Hislop’s magazine one person wrote: “Guess what – it’s time to criticise a satirical magazine FFS, I’m sure we will soon see a smear campaign claiming Ian Hislop is anti-Semitic. Ian Hislop and Private eye are not anti-Semitic they just identify hypocrisy wherever it manifests itself.”
Another wrote: “IAN HISLOP should be knighted for not being afraid to criticise the barbaric acts of Israel & Hamas. It is allowed to criticise these two groups in a DEMOCRACY without being left or right wing or Anti-Semitic or Islamophobic Democracy is Key.”
“Antisemitic tropes”
A spokesperson for the group told Yahoo News UK: “Satire is one thing, but when it plays on antisemitic tropes like outsized Jewish power, it is not funny.
“When British media like Private Eye publish defamatory material like this, which fuels racism against Jews in the UK, do not act surprised when antisemitism increases by over 500%. They are complicit.”
Jake Wallis Simons, editor of the Jewish Chronicle, said: “This cover suggests a) that Israel and its supporters try to suppress criticism of the country, and b) that Israel is trying to kill “everyone in Gaza”. Both of these are grotesque smears, presented under the moniker of Private Eye’s trademark humour. This time, the mag has got it badly wrong.”
Related: Victoria Derbyshire & Telegraph columnist in on-line spat over Gaza coverage
