Deputy leader of UK Green Party apologizes for tweeting anti-Semitic image
Amelia Womack says she initially thought cartoon of Grim Reaper in US flag carrying Star of David scythe was criticizing American imperialism
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The deputy leader of the UK’s Green Party apologized Friday for tweeting a political cartoon depicting the US and Israel as responsible for various bloody conflicts around the world.
The image shared by Amelia Womack on Thursday shows the Grim Reaper cloaked in an American flag carrying a scythe featuring a Star of David dripping with blood knocking on a door labeled “Venezuela.” The figure was at the end of a hallway, having already opened doors labelled Iraq, Libya, Syria and Ukraine, with blood streaming out each of the doors.
Womack tweeted the image with the caption: “When a picture paints a thousand words.”
The post immediately sparked a backlash online, with users accusing her of anti-Semitism and promoting conspiracy theories.
The deputy leader of Green Party tweeted this blatantly anti-Semitic cartoon yesterday (note the Star of David on the scythe). It has since been deleted without apology. Will be interesting to see if this gets picket up. pic.twitter.com/1MkoeNGtIQ
— James Bickerton (@JBickertonUK) January 25, 2019
Womack deleted the post hours later, saying: “That’ll teach me for sharing things just as my battery dies on a train.”
On Friday morning, Womack addressed the backlash over the post on Twitter, offering an apology for sharing a cartoon she conceded “was in fact anti-Semitic.”
“Yesterday I tweeted a picture which, in my ignorance, I thought was satirizing US Imperialism. It wasn’t, it was in fact antisemitic and I apologize wholeheartedly for tweeting it,” Womack said.
“I abhor anti-Semitism in all forms. There is no excuse for what I did and I’m truly sorry,” she added.
In response, a spokesperson for Jewish Leadership Council said: “We accept Amelia Womack’s apology which made no excuses for her actions.”
“This should serve as a lesson to all on the nature of contemporary anti-Semitism from the left and how can be disguised in the themes of anti-americanism, anti-capitalism and anti-imperialism,” the council said.
Venezuela has spiraled into a political crisis since a band of soldiers briefly rose up against President Nicolas Maduro on Tuesday, with opposition Juan Guaido leader declaring himself “acting president” days later.
Tens of thousands of protesters have taken to the streets of Caracas and other cities in rival demonstrations for and against Maduro. According to reports, some 26 anti-Maduro activists have been killed in clashes with security forces this week.
The standoff between Guaido and Maduro has split the international community between nations that recognize the opposition leader as president, including the United States and a dozen countries in the region, and those that still recognize Maduro, including Russia and China.
The Times of Israel Community.