New anti-Semitic coloring book calls for the annihilation of Israel
A controversial new children’s coloring book calling for the destruction of Israel and genocide against all people living there has appeared in South African bookstores, according to a report by the South African Jewish Report (SAJR) in early June.
The new coloring book, titled “From River to Sea,” excludes Jews and Israelis, negatively portrays them as oppressors, promotes anti-Semitic narratives and denies Israel’s right to exist. The South African Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD) condemned the book for indoctrinating children, saying it promotes “the eradication of Jews from our historic and rightful homeland.”
The book’s authors, Social Bandit Media, then argued that this was “a coordinated attempt to intimidate and harass us … now the Zionists want to burn the South African children’s book too,” SAJR reported.
As a result of the heated controversy, South Africa’s largest bookstore chain, Exclusive Books, removed the book from its shelves. Despite the strong reaction, Exclusive Books declined to comment on the matter.
The children’s coloring book, “From River to Sea,” says it “introduces young readers to the key concepts that drive and sustain the Palestinian resistance” and includes a page depicting the intifadas, the two violent uprisings in which about 1,000 Israelis were murdered in suicide bombings, SAJR reported.
In addition, the children were asked to colour in various Palestinian personalities, such as Refaat Alareer and Ahed Tamimi, both of whom have been critical of Israel in the past and made some controversial comments about the October 7 massacre.
Accusations of spreading hatred and distorting history
Furthermore, the book describes Israel as a “military outpost of Western imperialism” and claims that “Israel enforced apartheid policies throughout historic Palestine.” The book is accompanied by a series of fake maps showing an allegedly shrunken Palestine, according to the SAJR report.
“If you look at the genocides of the 20th century and the paths that led to them, among the many crucial steps, the indoctrination of children was one of the most important,” says Jakub Nowakowski, director of the Holocaust and Genocide Centre in Cape Town.
“The perpetrators deliberately manipulated the psyche of young people and taught them from an early age to hate and to regard their fellow human beings as less than human.”
“As a society, we must make protecting our youth from hatred a top priority,” Nowakowski said. He also stressed the importance of future generations overcoming the collective trauma of Jews and “building bridges and breaking the vicious cycle of hatred.”
The illustrated book features drawings by Nathi Ngubane, a freelance cartoonist for Daily Maverick, and aims to “educate parents and children,” the illustrator said in a video interview. Ngubane further explained his goal to portray the story in an “accurate and accessible” way for children, with contributions from educators, parents, experts and Palestinian journalists.
He further claimed that the book highlights themes such as “resistance, freedom and hope” and focuses on the lives of children in the Gaza Strip while ignoring Israeli children.
“It is disgusting that this publication is published and targeted at young people,” the SAJBD said. “We reject attempts to indoctrinate children. While we are saddened by the ongoing conflict, campaigns such as this only perpetuate hostility and prolong the vicious cycle of hatred. We urge the immediate closure of this extremely irresponsible publication.”
The South African Zionist Federation (SAZF) criticised the children’s colouring book, calling it “anti-Semitic, untrue and propaganda”. SAZF spokeswoman Rolene Marks expressed concerns about the book’s depictions of violence and the use of the slogan “From the River to the Sea”, which is associated with Hamas and which she believes calls for the destruction of Israel.
Marks also criticised the book for its misleading use of Nelson Mandela’s image. She stressed that many South African children face major problems in terms of hunger and crime and should not be exposed to political problems in the Middle East. Marks noted that the book’s portrayal contradicts South Africa’s constitutional values and the recognition by many South Africans and Christian communities of Israel’s right to exist.
In response to the SAJBD statement, Social Bandit Media claimed that “the SAJBD statement was an attempt to slander Palestinians and put more pressure on these mainstream bookstores” and called on “the bookstores to be on the right side of history.”
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