Children’s coloring book in South Africa promotes eradication of Israel and glorifies intifada

Jun 25, 2024 by Dave Doveton

From: Jerusalem Post.

A controversial children’s coloring book titled “From the River to the Sea” in South Africa promotes antisemitic narratives, excludes Israelis, and denies Israel’s right to exist.

A controversial new children’s coloring book appeared on local bookshelves in South Africa (SA,) calling for the eradication of Israel and genocide of all who live there, according to a report by the South African Jewish Report (SAJR) from the beginning of June.

The new coloring book – titled “From the River to the Sea” – excludes Jews and Israelis, portraying them negatively as oppressors while promoting antisemitic narratives and denying Israel’s right to exist. The South African Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD) condemned it for indoctrinating children, and stated it was “promoting the obliteration of Jews from our historical and rightful homeland.”

In response, the authors of the book, Social Bandit Media, argued this was “a co-ordinated attempt to intimate and harass us … now Zionists want to burn South African children’s book too,” the SAJR reported.

As a result of the heated controversy, SA’s biggest bookstore chain Exclusive Books removed the book from its shelves. Despite suffering backlash, Exclusive Books chose not to comment on the matter.

The children’s coloring book From the River to the Sea says that it “introduces young readers to the key concepts driving and sustaining Palestinian resistance,” and includes a page portraying intifadas, or the two violent uprisings where approximately 1000 Israelis were murdered in suicide bombings, SAJR further reported.

Read here.