Politico has removed a political cartoon depicting President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in blood-soaked imagery after widespread backlash from readers who described it as anti-Semitic. The illustration, created by cartoonist Sean Delonas, showed the leaders wearing bloody Jewish prayer shawls and skullcaps while seated in a boat labeled 'Ship of Neocons,' alongside Senators Ted Cruz and Lindsey Graham.

Critics said the cartoon relied on offensive Jewish stereotypes, including exaggerated facial features and imagery associated with historical anti-Jewish propaganda. The drawing also referenced the biblical figure Amalek and appeared to recreate the late fifteenth-century painting 'Ship of Fools.' The backlash intensified online, with several prominent figures condemning the image as disturbing and hateful.

Politico replaced the cartoon with an editor’s note stating that while sharp political commentary is acceptable, imagery that can reasonably be interpreted as relying on ethnic stereotypes does not meet its standards. The publication emphasized that its weekly cartoon gallery is intended to present a range of views and does not serve as an endorsement of any particular perspective.

The controversy unfolded amid escalating conflict involving Israel, Iran, and Hezbollah, as regional violence continues and diplomatic tensions remain high. Netanyahu recently announced an expansion of Israel’s military operations in southern Lebanon, while Iran rejected claims by Trump that negotiations to end the war were underway.