A Jewish newspaper in South Africa has been kicked out of the main industry body in the country for failing to apologise after calling a BDS cartoon antisemitic.

The SA Jewish Report was expelled last week from the South African press council - the country's equivalent of IPSO, after failing to publish a ruling against itself which would have contained an apology to the South African BDS coalition.

In a letter on the Report's website, editor Peta Krost wrote:" In October 2020, the SA Jewish Report ran a story inside the newspaper about a cartoon that for us and at least one world expert was clearly antisemitic.

"It depicted a fat, greedy man shovelling money into his month. It was much like so many other traditional antisemitic tropes used by the Nazis."

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The cartoon deemed antisemitic by the SA Jewish Report (www.sajr.co.za/)

Following the publication of the article, in which two academics were quoted as saying the cartoon was antisemitic in nature, the Press Council received complaints from a member of the BDS movement and found against the Jewish publication.

In finding against the Report, the Press council ordered the newspaper to print an apology on the front page of their paper

After a protracted dispute with the Press Council, the Report decided to quit the body but was told that they needed to give at least three years' notice of their intention to resign.

According to a statement from the Press Council Chair, Judge Phillip Levinsohn, the decision was taken after 'lengthy correspondence and after the SA Jewish Report had refused to obey the rulings against it."

On its expulsion, the Jewish Report became the first publication to be expelled from the body in its history.

In an Editor's letter published last Shabbat, editor Peta Krost said while she could not say the Press Council is biased, she accused the body of being used by the BDS coalition to further their political aims.

She wrote: "This is extraordinarily disappointing as I believe in the need for an independent ombud who wouldn’t be swayed by politics and racial hatred. Unfortunately, we realised six months ago that this wasn’t to be for us.

"However, as a newspaper for this community, we will continue to bring you the best possible news that’s relevant to our community … no matter what!"