LONDON: French newspaper Liberation is facing intense criticism following the publication of a cartoon portraying Palestinian hunger in Gaza during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
The cartoon, titled “Ramadan in Gaza — The Start of a Fasting Month,” was created by Corinne Rey, a former cartoonist for the controversial satire magazine Charlie Hebdo.
The drawing depicts a devastated cityscape with a hand reaching out of the rubble, while a man chases after mice and bugs. A woman sits beside a starving boy on the street, admonishing the man with the words, “Not before sunset,” a reference to the Islamic practice of fasting from dawn till dusk.
The cartoon’s release sparked immediate outrage on social media, with many condemning it as racist and insensitive, particularly given the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza where hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are facing starvation due to Israel’s blockade preventing aid from reaching the enclave.
“Is genocide supposed to make you laugh? Don’t you feel a little ashamed sometimes?” asked one user on X.
C’est sensé vous faire rire un génocide ? Vous avez pas un peu honte un peu parfois ?
— (@tsunami_josuke) March 11, 2024
Al Kanz, a French platform focusing on Islamic economy and consumer markets, criticized the newspaper’s editorial staff, labeling the cartoon as “filthy racist, and dehumanizing.”
It added: “For Liberation as for Israel, the Palestinians are ‘human animals.’”
La morale m’interdit de vous dire expressément tout le dégoût que vous suscitez.
Honte sur la rédaction qui publie un dessin salement raciste et déshumanisant dans le journal papier et en plus le tweete.
Pour @libe comme pour Israël, les Palestiniens sont des « animaux humains »— Al Kanz (@Alkanz) March 11, 2024
The ongoing blockade has exacerbated Gaza’s humanitarian crisis, with Israel cutting off all essential supplies, including fuel, food, water, and electricity since Oct. 9.
The bombing of vital infrastructure has led to the collapse of the medical sector, leaving thousands vulnerable to malnutrition and dehydration.
According to the Gaza health ministry, at least 27 people, including a 10-year-old child with cerebral palsy, have died due to these conditions.
Rey defended her work on social media, stating that her intention was to highlight the despair faced by Palestinians and draw attention to the famine in Gaza, while also questioning the religious significance of Ramadan.
Petit florilège (tout petit hein) de conneries, menaces et messages antisémites reçus suite à ce dessin publié hier dans Libé. Un dessin (que j’assume parfaitement!) qui souligne le désespoir des palestiniens, dénonce la famine à Gaza et moque aussi l’absurdité de la religion. pic.twitter.com/b3fRwQxyJj
— Corinne (@cocoboer) March 12, 2024
However, many accused Rey of perpetuating systemic discrimination against Muslims and Arabs in French society, with some questioning the morality of criticizing religion during such a sensitive time.
One user remarked: “A population has been massacred for 4 months and those who are still alive are starving and this bourgeoisie finds it urgent to ‘criticise religion.’”
This controversy echoes previous incidents involving French satire magazine Charlie Hebdo, which faced backlash for its insensitive portrayal of victims of the Turkiye-Syria earthquake in February 2023.
