German popular daily newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung fired its cartoonist after his caricature of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was harshly criticized on social media, the Turkish Anadolu news agency reported. The cartoon in the now withdrawn issue of the magazine depicts Netanyahu in the likeness of Israeli singer Netta Barzilai, who won the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest, while holding a missile in his hand. The text balloon above him said "next year in Jerusalem."
READ MORE: German Daily Apologizes For Cartoon on Israel, Cartoonist Doesn't
After the cartoon caused public uproar, the newspaper's chief editor, Wolfgang Krach, issued his apologies, but the 85-year-old cartoonist refused to follow the suit, which led to him being fired. Dieter Hanitzsch, the author of the controversial cartoon, said that such a punitive measure for an inappropriate drawing is not normal.
"You can reprimand him [the cartoonist], warn him, but firing is not a good way," he said.