Cartoonist sacked after being accused of anti-Semitism

AN award-winning cartoonist dumped by New Zealand's biggest newspaper because of his drawings on the Middle East conflict said he stood by his work and rejected an editor's right to direct what he could or could not draw.  

Malcolm Evans, twice named as the country's cartoonist of the year, says he was sacked by The New Zealand Herald after the newspaper received complaints from Jews about his cartoons on the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.  

Evans, who denied that his cartoons were anti-Semitic,   said while he accepted an editor's right to reject a cartoon, he did not accept an editor's right to direct what he should draw.   He said the paper's editor-in-chief, Gavin Ellis, had told him to stop submitting cartoons on Israel.  

However, Ellis said Evans had been sacked on legal advice, but would not comment further.   Evans, who had worked for the Herald for seven years, told National Radio the argument had started when the paper received letters from readers about his cartoons critical of Israel.

"I have got to acknowledge in the first instance that the paper had the balls to publish those cartoons, but once they were published and reaction came in, the paper seemed to shrink from association with them and ultimately I received this edict."  

The Waikato Times newspaper quoted Auckland rabbi Jeremy Lawrence saying   he believed the cartoons lacked balance in their portrayal of Israeli-Palestinian relations and had double standards.    

Sacked cartoonist stands firm

August 15, 2003

DUMPED award-winning cartoonist Malcolm Evans said he would take the same stand regardless of the subject of his cartoon if he was directed by an editor on what he could and could not draw.

Mr Evans, twice named cartoonist of the year, says he was sacked by New Zealand's biggest newspaper, the New Zealand Herald, after the newspaper received complaints from the Jewish community about his cartoons on the conflict between Israel and Palestine.

Mr Evans said he rejected any anti-semitic criticism of him but would take the same stand no matter what the subject, if told what he could or could not draw.

Mr Evans said while he accepted an editor's right to reject a cartoon, he did not accept an editor's right to direct what he should draw.

He said he had been told by the paper's editor-in-chief Gavin Ellis to stop submitting cartoons on Israel.

Mr Ellis said it was wrong to suggest Mr Evans was sacked for refusing to stop drawing cartoons critical of Israel but on legal advice he would not comment further.

Mr Evans told National Radio the argument had been going for a year after the paper received letters from readers about his cartoons critical of Israel.

"I have got to acknowledge in the first instance that the paper had the balls to publish those cartoons but once they were published and reaction came in, the paper seemed to shrink from association with them and ultimately I received this edict.

"I say, Gavin, I absolutely respect the newspaper's and the editor's right, as I have always done, to reject my cartoons but not to dictate them."

Mr Evans said Mr Ellis told him that he (Mr Ellis) had an absolute right to dictate cartoons and that Mr Evans was no different from any other contributor.

Mr Evans said it was not acceptable to dictate a cartoon because a cartoonist's art was not a single issue.

"It is a part of the whole and a newspaper's readers have a right to expect that the image that is being presented is a fair representation of the cartoonist's thoughts."

Mr Evans said he was sacked after seven years with the newspaper but was not interested in a legal fight with the paper.

The Waikato Times newspaper said Auckland rabbi Jeremy Lawrence had complained to the New Zealand Herald about Mr Evans.

The cartoons were offensive to the Jewish community. He compared some of the imagery used to that used by Nazi Germany in the 1930s, the Waikato Times said.  

New Zealand Press Association  

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