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Timeline: Falk’s Anti-Semitic Cartoon, Denial, Non-Apology Apology

  • June 29 – Richard Falk, the UN Palestine expert tasked  by the Human Rights Council to investigate “Israel’s violations of the bases and principles of international law,” posts a cartoon on his blog depicting a bloodthirsty dog wearing a Jewish religious headcovering.
  • July 6, 9:22 AM (California time) – UN Watch, a Geneva-based human rights organization, exposed Falk’s publication of the cartoon, condemns its incitement to anti-Semitism, and calls on UN rights chief Navi Pillay to speak out.
  • July 6, 10:38 AM – Falk  responds:  “It is a complete lie. I know nothing about such a cartoon, and would never publish such a thing, ever.”
  • July 6, 10:54 AM – Falk deletes the cartoon. He explains:  “Maybe I do not understand the cartoon, and if it offends in this way I have removed it from the blog. It may be in bad taste to an extent I had not earlier appreciated, but I certainly didn’t realize that it could be viewed as anti-semitic, and still do not realize.”
  • July 6, 1:42 PM – Falk is still unable to see any problem with the cartoon: “I did not perceive any racist connotations, and certainly no anti-semitic implications, and since it offends people I have removed it without understanding why.”
  • July 6, 3:41 PM – Falk points a finger at UN Watch executive director Hillel Neuer: “Neuer consistently defames me, claiming I am a 9/11 conspiracy theorist when I am not, and so forth.”
  • July 6, approx. 5:00 pm – Falk issues an Apology for Unintentionally Posting Anti-Semitic Cartoon in Qaddafi Arrest Warrant Blog.  “With apologies, I realize that the cartoon…  had strongly anti-semitic symbolism that I had not detected before it was pointed out to me… My intention has never been to demean in any way Jews as a people despite my strong criticisms of Israeli policies, and some versions of Zionist support… Beyond this, if we are to have a sustainable human future we must also make peace with nature, and treat animals with as much respect as possible…  At the same time, I am quite aware that many of the messages were motivated to discredit me due to my views of Israeli policies and behavior.”
  • July 6, 7:54 PM – Falk admits to knowingly attacking the US: “I did realize that the cartoon was anti-American, but I did not realize that it was also anti-semitic”
  • July 7 – UN Watch called on UN rights chief Navi Pillay to lead efforts to fire Richard Falk. Click here for UN Watch press release.

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