The Royal Academy (RA) has been asked to remove from its Summer Exhibition two works deemed antisemitic. UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI) has written to the RA about two drawings by Michael Sandle. Last year the same artist exhibited a drawing on a similar antisemitic theme – the supposed mass murdering of children in Gaza.
This year, one of Mr Sandle’s works is called “Terrorist versus smiling mass murderer of innocents” and the other is called “Apropos terror – a pilot doesn’t hear the screams of the women and children he is massacring with impunity”.
UKLFI has written to the RA’s new chief executive, Simon Wallis, explaining why the two drawings are antisemitic, and asking for their removal from the exhibition.
The titles of both these drawings imply that Israel is purposely slaughtering women and children, on a mass scale. This is far from the truth, since the Israeli army does all it can to avoid harming women and children, while targeting Hamas terrorists, who unfortunately use women and children and human shields.
UKLFI previously wrote to the RA in 2024 when Michael Sandle exhibited a drawing entitled: “The mass slaughter of defenceless women & children is not how you deradicalize Gaza.” The then chief executive, Axel Ruger, refused to remove the drawing, but replied: “We are however grateful for the clarifications you have provided and intend to continue to take these into account in the future, along with any concerns raised by other visitors of diverse backgrounds when reviewing our policies.”
It is evident that the concerns from Jewish visitors were not taken into account as very similar themed artworks were displayed by Michael Sandle again this year.
The images “apply double standards by requiring of Israel a behaviour not expected or demanded of any other democratic nation,” which can be antisemitic according to example 8 of the IHRA working definition of antisemitism.
UKLFI explained that Israel has killed far fewer civilians in proportion to the number of terrorists that have been killed, than other countries during urban warfare. The proportion is 1 or 2 civilians to 1 terrorist. In other conflicts, 8 or 9 civilians are killed for every one terrorist. While every civilian that is killed is of course a tragedy, this is unfortunately inevitable during a war in urban areas.
The titles of the artworks use symbols associated with classic antisemitism (eg claims of Jews killing children) to characterise Israel or Israelis, which is covered by example 9 of the IHRA definition of antisemitism. The titles of Michael Sandle’s drawings, which are also incorporated into the drawings, claim that Israelis (or Jews) are carrying out a mass murder of innocent women and children with impunity. Accusing Jews of murdering babies or children is an enduring blood libel. Michael Sandle should be aware that Israel aims to kill terrorists, not innocent children and others.
A spokesperson for UKLFI commented: “The Royal Academy has shamefully ignored the views of its Jewish and Israeli visitors, and once more displayed antisemitic, anti-Israel artworks. We hope that they will now remove these offensive items.”