You write that “It is also up to all people to teach their children to accept people’s differences and not to hate.” This is true, but it extends to media as well. When you have the power to influence public opinion you must consider twice what you’re doing. There’s always a bit of balancing between freedom of expression and these responsibilities. A while ago, I’ve been talking to toonpool.com’s CEO Max Pohlenz about this issue (http://blog.toonpool.com/interview/censorship-on-toonpool-com/).

As for “Judaic symbolism” in cartoons about Israel: I know that things get a bit messed up because Israel uses religious symbols as state symbols, but it’s up to the artiststo make clear that they are not referring to Jews but to the State of Israel. There is, for example, a difference between the Star of David as such and the Israeli flag. I’ve been talking to Palestinian artist Ramzy A. Taweel about this issue (http://blog.toonpool.com/interview/western-culture-and-the-wall/). Other “Judaic symbols” used in cartoons are nothing but regurgitated anti-Semitic imagery from the last two centuries. There is a history to these images that artists and editors cannot ignore.

I don’t think that there is much point in discussing the rights and wrongs of the Middle Eastern conflict here. We should stick with the rights and wrongs of cartooning.

There are, of course, many truly ugly and antisemitic cartoons being published. Do I believe they should be banned? No! With freedom comes viewpoints and opinions we may not like or find abhorrent. It is up to our individual sensibilities to self censor or ignore the things we don’t like. It is also up to all people to teach their children to accept people’s differences and not to hate. If Israel doesn’t like the increase of negative press, then it should stop pushing Palestinians out and, in good faith, work on a fair two state solution.