Israel paper cuts Merkel from Paris march

A Jewish ultra-Orthodox newspaper has copped criticism for cropping out German Chancellor Angela Merkel from a photo of the unity rally in Paris.

A small Jewish ultra-Orthodox newspaper in Israel has made waves internationally after removing German Chancellor Angela Merkel from a photo of this week's Paris march.

World leaders had linked arms to march in Paris on Sunday against terrorism after Islamic extremists killed 17 people.

Merkel stood in the front row between French President Francois Hollande and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

But readers of the Hamevaser newspaper's Monday edition didn't know, as she had been digitally removed, leaving Abbas standing next to Hollande.

Israeli media joked it was meant to bring Abbas closer to Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu, who was standing nearby.

Within the insular ultra-Orthodox community, pictures of women are rarely shown in newspapers and magazines due to modesty concerns.

The picture in Hamevaser cut out other women, such as Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, though the newspaper clumsily left her dark glove on the sleeve of a marcher.

The European Union's foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, was also cropped out.

Binyamin Lipkin, editor of Hamevaser, said the newspaper is a family publication that must be suitable for all audiences, including young children.

"The eight-year-old can't see what I don't want him to see," he told Israel's Channel 10 television station.

"True, a picture of Angela Merkel should not ruin the child, but if I draw a line, I have to put it there from the bottom all the way to the top."

Shmuel Pappenhym, an ultra-Orthodox commentator, said that while the community must preserve its values, the newspaper had gone too far.

"The Hamevaser newspaper does a thing like this, tomorrow it appears in Germany, it appears all over Europe, the rest of the world. It mocks the Jewish Orthodox community. It makes us look narrow minded."


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Source: AAP



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