Cornell University’s student newspaper is facing backlash after featuring artwork by a professor that depicted a bloody Star of David alongside the Nazi “SS” symbol drawn on Palestinians’ backs.
This image, which appeared in the Cornell Daily Sun, was eventually taken down due to accusations of anti-Semitism. William Jacobson, a law professor and founder of Legal Insurrection, expressed concern, stating that it reflects a troubling normalization of Holocaust-related themes both online and at Cornell.
The artwork, titled “A Thousand and One Animals in the Eye,” was paired with an opinion piece by Karim Ali Kassam, who teaches courses in natural resources and indigenous studies at Cornell. In the piece, he suggested that Israel was engaging in revenge attacks in Gaza and noted that Israeli officials often referred to Palestinians as “animals.” This was particularly published just after the second anniversary of Hamas’s attack on Israel, which occurred on October 7, 2023.
After an internal discussion, the Sun ultimately retracted the article and republished it without the illustrations, deeming them to fall short of the publication’s standards. Kassam expressed disappointment that some perceived his work as anti-Semitic.
Julia Senzon, the Sun’s editor-in-chief, clarified that Kassam had provided the images. She stated that the images were removed because they could provoke strong negative reactions from readers, especially given the historical weight of the SS symbol.
In a subsequent column, one editor defended Kassam, asserting he did not equate Israel with Nazi Germany, although it was made clear this stance represented the editor’s personal view and not the newspaper’s official stance. Fox News Digital has sought comment from Kassam, while the university has chosen not to address the issue.
