An apology to our readers | Opinion

The Inquirer Editorial Board regrets the publication of an editorial cartoon by Monte Wolverton of the Cagle Cartoons syndicate that appeared in Tuesday’s editions.

In hindsight, the cartoon depicting an oversized Israeli military boot stepping on Hamas terrorists hiding among civilians in response to the Oct. 7 attack should not have been published. Regardless of the interpretation, the illustration reinforces pernicious antisemitic tropes about Israeli aggression.

The Inquirer Editorial Board condemned the heinous attacks days after they occurred, and has expressed its unequivocal belief that Israel has the right to defend itself from Hamas’ aggression.

The board’s long-standing philosophy is that the Opinion section is a forum for civil, constructive, and sometimes provocative views designed to promote healthy debate and an exchange of ideas on a wide range of issues.

In that spirit, we have published a variety of op-eds with an array of viewpoints on the events in the Middle East, and we have dedicated our entire letters section to fostering robust discussions among readers.

It is clear this cartoon was highly insensitive, particularly at the current moment when antisemitism is on the rise. We hear the outcry and apologize for the pain it caused.

We are reviewing the totality of our processes — particularly those for the selection of illustrations and cartoons — to prevent failures like this one from occurring again. We welcome your feedback, and we look forward to continuing the conversation.

Editor’s Note: Monte Wolverton, the artist with the Cagle Cartoons syndicate who drew the editorial cartoon depicting antisemitic tropes that appeared in the print editions of The Inquirer on Oct. 17, issued the following statement on Oct. 22: “I deeply apologize for my recent cartoon depicting an Israeli combat boot poised to crush Hamas. I had intended to show Israel was soon to stomp out Hamas terrorists, but my insensitive choice of imagery effectively cast Israel as a villain. I now realize this caused pain for many readers, and I deeply apologize.”