The July issue of Comhar, a government-funded Irish-language magazine, has triggered widespread outrage for its front cover, which features barbed wire adorned with Stars of David beside a blood-red pool and an amputee, separated from beachgoers, reports The Jewish Chronicle.
Critics say the imagery is antisemitic, suggesting it equates Jews with perpetrators of violence and twists Holocaust symbolism. Among the most prominent responses:
Chief Rabbi of Ireland, Yoni Wieder, said the artwork „reinforces the perception that public discourse around Israel has gone far beyond critical commentary into open vilification.”
Wieder condemned the use of the Star of David, a central symbol of Jewish identity, saying it contributes to a „more personal and insidious” hostility. He also criticised the fact that Comhar is publicly funded via Foras na Gaeilge, a cross-border body supported by both the Irish and Northern Irish governments.
Holocaust Awareness Ireland described the image as „antisemitic imagery from the Göbbels playbook,” noting how it inverts Holocaust imagery to suggest Jews are now the perpetrators: „The defamation of the Holocaust continues apace.”
Steve Aiken MLA, a Northern Ireland Assembly member, raised concerns with Communities Minister Gordon Lyons, questioning: „Why his department is funding this institutional antisemitism,” and suggesting Foras na Gaeilge be investigated by the Public Service Ombudsman.
Irish Jewish writer Rachel Moiselle called the cover „horrific” and symptomatic of a broader „institutional antisemitism problem in Ireland.” Critiquing the contradiction between Ireland’s welcoming culture and this offensive depiction, she said: „A language without welcome is a language without a soul.”
Foras na Gaeilge responded that it had no involvement in Comhar’s editorial decisions, stating: „Editorial freedom is vital in the media sector.” While confirming its funding role, it asserted that all Irish-language publications it supports retain editorial independence and encouraged critics to lodge complaints directly with the publication.
Despite this, the backlash has highlighted a deep unease about how public funds are being used, particularly when material is perceived to echo antisemitic tropes or distort Holocaust history.
Photo credit: X screenshot
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