With A Little Help From My Friends

Currently I’m designing my new book and above you see its opening page. My Friend Dvorit Ben Shaul said that it looks like a Star of David. You have to imagine a triangle that goes down from the apex (to the word “no” on the left and to the word “or” on the right) and another one that goes from bottom to the edges of the book’s name.

It seems like I’m so absorbed in this emblem that it influences my page designs subconsciously…

Carlos Latuff, Jew Guevara

Photo of Star of David on the famous cap of South-American legendary revolutionist Che Guevara is courtesy of Brazilian anti-Israeli cartoonist Carlos Latuff who comments on his website that he made it:
On behalf of brave Jews, in Israel and worldwide, and their struggle against Israeli oppression of Palestinian people and occupation of their territories
Attaching a Star of David to a famous leader was used by WW2 German propaganda to deliver quite an opposite message: that the famous leader (i.e. Roosevelt) is a puppet of “the Jews”.

Carlos Latuff, Barbed Wire Star

Title:Israeli Apartheid

This is the first photo of a Barbed Wire Star of David published on this blog. Picture is courtesy of cartoonist Carlos Latuff. Concerning the Star of David itself it denies access, in this case, from the other side as well. It’s the deep meaning of this symbol not to take sides, or to take both sides.

From Wikipedia: Carlos Latuff is a freelance political cartoonist, born in November 30, 1968, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil… Latuff has authored several comics about Middle East situations such as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the Iraq War, mainly highly critical towards Israel and the United States while sympathizing with their opposition… in 2004, Latuff has made a series of seven cartoons, called Forgiveness, showing Arabs and Jews illustrated in reconciliation.

Carlos Latuff, Watch Tower

Photo is courtesy of Brazilian anti-Israeli cartoonist Carlos Latuff who has a very special way of seeing the Star of David – he looks at it as the shape of a Watch Tower. This is a unique simile, to the best of my knowledge. It reminds me of the Star Fort of Matara in Sri-Lanka.
Title: Shame Wall (Israhell)
Artist's Comments:
Israeli Wall To Encircle Palestine. Sharon accused of turning territories into huge prison; Chris McGreal in Jerusalem; Tuesday March 18, 2003; The Guardian.

Carlos Latuff , Hanging Rope

Israeli Star of David as a hanging rope

for the Palestinians conveys bluntly cartoonist Carlos Latuff’s opinion about Israel’s policy in the territories. His image reminds me of a similar image Israeli artist Dror Auslander used to show how Israelis strangle their foreign workers.

Another Star of Davids made from rope is on the

scouts stamp

Cartoonist Carlos Latuff uses the Star of David as an anti- Israeli tool. It is important to notice the difference between anti- Israeli (or anti-Zionist) and anti-Semitic usages. Latuff is a fine example for the first category.

It is to his credit that

1. He made in 2004 a series of seven cartoons showing Arabs and Jews in reconciliation
2. on his websites he allows everybody to reproduce and forward all his artworks.
   
   P.S.
   Mr. Latuff read this post and commented:
   
   Dear sir,
   
   Checking your post about one of my cartoons with the Star of
   David depicted as a hanging rope, I'd like to highlight
   something. As you stated in the same post, my artworks and
   struggle have more to do with anti-Zionism than
   anti-Semitism, and the usage of Star of David in my cartoons
   have no religious reasons. My detractors usually acuse me of
   anti-Semitism for using the Star. The point is that the
   State of Israel have religious motifs as national symbols
   (Star of David for the flag, the Menorah for the official
   seal), and even combat jets and tanks  have the Star of David on it (putting a religious symbol in such war machines sounds like a desecration for me). It's
   like to be called anti-Muslim for making a Turkish tank with
   the Star and Crescent, since this religious motif is used in
   the Turkey's national flag.
   
   Best regards,
   
   Latuff

Next Book Front Cover

My dear old friend, Aran Patikin, is working on the design of my next book’s front cover. This is only the draft – it will look much better eventually. I bring it to you in order to share with you the deep delight of each stage in the birth of a new creation.

Next Model Folded Paper Lantern

My son is preparing for next production of Star of David folded paper Sukkah lanterns.

Main improvements:

The small stars are six-pointed instead of five-pointed;

The arrangement of the small stars is so that six of them surround the seventh, like the six days of the week surround the Sabbath.