Steve Bell sacked by Guardian after antisemitic row over Netanyahu cartoon

[Nearly Sane]

Struggling to see how even if it did reference The Merchant of Venice this is anti semitic. It also surely means that any production of The Merchant of Venice is problematic, and it would be consistent for the Guardian to sack anyone it employs who participates in any such production?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-67122609

[Aruntraveller]

What is fucking wrong at The Guardian.

I mean, I try to be loyal but they just keep on stretching and stretching it.

[jeremyp]

Struggling to see how even if it did reference The Merchant of Venice this is anti semitic. It also surely means that any production of The Merchant of Venice is problematic

There are those who believe that this is the case, at least according to Wikipedia.

, and it would be consistent for the Guardian to sack anyone it employs who participates in any such production?

There is a difference between what people do in their own time and what they do on behalf of their employer.

Edit: To clarify, I don't think the Guardian should have sacked Steve Bell over this. It didn't seen to occur to him that the cartoon could be perceived as anti-semitic. If I had been in charge, the cartoon would have been withdrawn but that would be the end of the matter.

[Nearly Sane]

There are those who believe that this is the case, at least according to Wikipedia.

There is a difference between what people do in their own time and what they do on behalf of their employer.

I am sure there are people who do think that. Not sure why that makes it relevant.

Agree that there are differences between what is done in employ and outside, though given that it's not clear thar Bell is even referencing The Merchant of Venice, the action of someone acting in in it would surely be definitely anti semitic to the Guardian, and therefore problematic to them to employ.

Also to switch it, would it be anti semitic for an editor to send a columnist to review a production, and/or for columnist to do so, or would a bad review saying 'Don't go and see this anti semitic garbage' be ok as opposed to a positive review?