The Week magazine replaced a featured image on one of their pieces that various social media users were criticizing as being anti-Semitic. The Algemeiner reported that that the image, which was used on an April 15 piece titled “Israel is testing Biden,” featured a Star of David superimposed over President Joe Biden.
Associate Dean and Director of Global Social Action Agenda at the Simon Wiesenthal Center Rabbi Abraham Cooper told The Algemeiner that the image gives the impression “that Israel controls America” and would appeal to “antisemites, conspiracy theorists, and — first and foremost — the Iranians and their acolytes here in the United States.” The American Jewish Committee similarly tweeted that the photo “is a clear depiction of the age-old antisemitic trope of Jewish ‘control.’ This false accusation blames Jews for leading world leaders — often depicted as ‘blind’ — into war and debt.”
This abhorrent graphic published by @TheWeek is a clear depiction of the age-old antisemitic trope of Jewish "control."
This false accusation blames Jews for leading world leaders—often depicted as "blind"—into war and debt.
This image normalizes Jew-hatred. Remove it. pic.twitter.com/QRWfuSeHSq
— American Jewish Committee (@AJCGlobal) April 15, 2021
The photo has since been replaced with an image showing Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu next to each other without any explanation. The Stop Antisemitism.org watchdog tweeted that The Week should have issued an apology stating, “All of us at @TheWeek apologize for the blatant antisemitic, neo nazi type graphic that was used earlier today in a story about Israel. Instead they quietly swapped out the feature photos hoping no one would notice? Pathetic,” they wrote.
“All of us at @TheWeek apologize for the blatant antisemitic, neo nazi type graphic that was used earlier today in a story about Israel.”
THAT’S what SHOULD have tweeted but instead they quietly swapped out the feature photos hoping no one would notice?
Pathetic @WeekBillFalk https://t.co/NdiSUUtTIo pic.twitter.com/LGQEg85HRE
— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) April 16, 2021
International human rights lawyer Arsen Ostrovsky similarly tweeted, “Will there at least be an apology or clarification forthcoming?”
I see @TheWeek changed it’s abhorrent and disgustingly Antisemitic graphic on this Biden – Israel story. Will there at least be an apology or clarification forthcoming? cc. @ryanlcooper pic.twitter.com/rhLj8IjNjn
— Arsen Ostrovsky (@Ostrov_A) April 16, 2021
The Week did not respond to the Journal’s requests for comment.
UPDATE: The Week’s piece now has an editor’s note stating, “This article was previously illustrated by a collage that mixed the Israeli flag with a photo of Biden in a way that was insensitive and offensive. The website often creates illustrations that combine flags with important political figures, but we should have been much more attuned to the symbolism in this case. The image has been replaced and we apologize unreservedly.”
