Guardian cartoonist gets shit canned for a little bit of anti-Semitism, but was the cartoon actually anti-Semitic? [POLL INSIDE]

OK that makes sense. But in that interpretation though, he's not cutting himself so the Shylock reference doesn't make sense and as a consequence, the anti-semitism charge doesn't either.

Shylock is a Jew who lends money to his Christian rival Antonio, setting the security at a pound of Antonio's flesh. When a bankrupt Antonio defaults on the loan, Shylock demands the pound of flesh. This decision is fuelled by his sense of revenge, for Antonio had previously insulted, physically assaulted and spat on him in the Rialto (stock exchange of Venice) dozens of times, defiled the "sacred" Jewish religion and had also inflicted massive financial losses on him. Meanwhile, Shylock's daughter, Jessica, falls in love with Antonio's friend Lorenzo and converts to Christianity, leaves Shylock's house and steals vast riches from him, which add to Shylock's rage and harden his resolve for revenge. In the end – due to the efforts of Antonio's well-wisher, Portia – Shylock is charged with attempted murder of a Christian, carrying a possible death penalty, and Antonio is freed without punishment. Shylock is then ordered to surrender half of his wealth and property to the state and the other half to Antonio. However, as an act of "mercy", Antonio modifies the verdict, asking Shylock to hand over only one-half of his wealth – to him (Antonio) for his own as well as Lorenzo's need – provided that he keeps two promises. First, Shylock has to sign an agreement bequeathing all his remaining property to Lorenzo and Jessica, which is to become effective after his demise, and second, he is to immediately convert to Christianity. Shylock is forced to agree to these terms, and he exits citing illness.

Looks like Shylock gets fricked over. I still don't get it.

Oh that much I understand. I think. But isn't the "pound of flesh" supposed to signify a loss?

Netanyahu hasn't lost (yet) and he's actively trying to gain control of the land he's cutting out of himself in the cartoon, not get rid of it.

But Shylock wants Antonio's flesh so that doesn't make sense for this to be a reference. I think Bell's probably anti-Semitic like Corbyn but this particular comic isn't.

although there were no practising Jews who lived in England during Shakespeare's time. Jews were expelled from the country in 1290 by Edward I in the Edict of Expulsion; this was not reversed until the Cromwell Era

Heh didn't know that

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edict_of_Expulsion

Sounds like the Jewish policies at the time in UK and nature of the job Jews got pushed into and naturally excel at seems to have been where all the main Jewish insults come from

/h/lit