Magazine Cover Depicting 'Ugly' Israeli Soldier Sparks Antisemitism Row

The recent cover story in the Italian magazine L'Espresso, titled 'Abuse,' has ignited a firestorm of controversy, drawing accusations of antisemitism for its depiction of an Israeli soldier-settler. The image, which the article claims represents a common occurrence in occupied Palestine, features a soldier-settler harassing a Palestinian woman. The author of the piece, writing for Dawn, argues that the content itself is not new to those familiar with the daily realities of the occupation.

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It was neither. And to prove this, L’Espresso released many more photos of the said soldier/ settler/ terrorist and also released the video of the entire interaction.

What truly set off the controversy, according to the article, was the soldier's appearance. The magazine described the soldier's face as 'fascinatingly ugly,' detailing features that evoked strong negative reactions. This description, coupled with the image, led to accusations from 'Zionists' that the photo was manipulated to demean Israelis, thus constituting antisemitism. L'Espresso responded by releasing further evidence, including more photos and the original video footage, to substantiate their claims.

The author of the Dawn piece questions this reaction, contrasting it with Israel's alleged indifference to more severe accusations, such as genocide or the mass murder of children. The article points to instances where Israeli soldiers caught on video committing acts of violence against Palestinians were reportedly celebrated or justified within Israel. This raises a critical question: why did this particular image, and the description of the soldier's appearance, elicit such a strong and defensive response?

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Why did this photo bother Israel so much, when it has shrugged off accusations of genocide and has even justified the mass murder of children?

From the perspective presented in Dawn, the Israeli reaction seems disproportionate, especially when compared to how the nation has handled more grave accusations. The article suggests a possible explanation lies in Israel's use of 'thirst traps' – a propaganda tactic involving attractive soldiers to project a positive image. The author posits that the extreme ugliness of the soldier in the L'Espresso cover might have undermined this strategy, hitting a nerve by presenting an image that was not only unflattering but also seemingly counter to their carefully curated public relations efforts. This piece, therefore, frames the controversy not just as an issue of journalistic depiction but as a commentary on Israeli propaganda and its vulnerabilities.

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as per the Cambridge dictionary a thirst trap is “a statement by or photograph of someone on social media that is intended to attract attention or make people who see it sexually interested in them”.