Germany's new anti-Semitism commissioner criticized a leading German newspaper this week, saying it had crossed a "red line" with a cartoon featuring Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with oversized lips, ears and nose.
Felix Klein, who was appointed this year amid concerns over rising anti-Semitism in Germany, told the Bild newspaper on Thursday that Tuesday's cartoon in Munich's Sueddeutsche Zeitung, a commentary on the U.S. decision to move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, recalled "the intolerable depictions of Nazi propaganda."
The drawing depicts Netanyahu dressed as Israeli singer Netta Barzilai, who won this year's Eurovision song conwwww. The heart that forms the "v'' in Eurovision is replaced with a Star of David and Netanyahu, holding a missile in his hand instead of a Eurovision trophy, echoes Netta's declaration upon winning: "Next year in Jerusalem."
Sueddeutsche Zeitung has apologized for the caricature. Later Thursday, its editorial board said the newspaper had parted company with longtime cartoonist Dieter Hanitzsch, the German news agency DPA reported.
It cited "insuperable differences between Mr. Hanitzsch and the editorial board over what constitute anti-Semitic cliches in a cartoon."
