Guardian Sacks Cartoonist Over Netanyahu Drawing

Facts

After he submitted a controversial sketch of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, British newspaper The Guardian announced on Monday it would not renew veteran cartoonist Steve Bell's contract.¹
According to Bell, The Guardian accused him of 'deploying anti semitic tropes' and refused to publish his work. The cartoonist had been associated with the newspaper for over 40 years.²
Bell claims his work was inspired by David Levine's cartoon of former US Pres. Lyndon B. Johnson with a Vietnam-shaped scar on his torso at the height of the Vietnam War.³
Bell's sketch reportedly showed Netanyahu preparing to operate on his stomach — with an outline of the Gaza Strip on his torso — wearing boxing gloves. The drawing was captioned, 'Residents of Gaza, get out now.'⁴
In 2020, Bell had depicted opposition leader Sir Keir Starmer holding former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn's head on a platter.⁵
Bell asserted he doesn't 'promote harmful anti-Semitic stereotypes' and dared opponents to identify any in his back catalog that would show otherwise.⁶

Narrative A, as provided by Press Gazette. The Guardian deserves praise for not running an egregiously disrespectful cartoon. This incident is not the first involving Bell, The Guardian, and allegations of anti-Semitism against his drawings. Political cartoons are meant to elicit responses, but anti-Semitism has no place in them at all. The Guardian had every right to make the business decision not to renew Bell's contract.
Narrative B, as provided by LBC. Bell's cartoon addresses Netanyahu's disastrous policy blunder, which has led to the shocking humanitarian situation in Gaza. The Guardian is free to decide not to publish the comic if it so wishes with its editorial process, and this personnel move went too far.