New York Times apologises for 'anti-Semitic' portrayal of Trump, Netanyahu in cartoon

US President Donald Trump (R) and Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu (L) shake hands in the Oval Office. Photo / Getty Images

The New York Times has issued an apology over a cartoon the publication ran in its international edition on April 25, which was later pulled because of its "anti-Semitic tropes".

The cartoon, showing the Israeli prime minister personified as a sausage dog wearing a Star of David on its collar leading President Donald Trump wearing a black suit, black sunglasses and yarmulke on his head, has been slammed for its anti-Semitic undertones, reports Newsweek.

Apology not accepted. How many @nytimes editors looked at a cartoon that would not have looked out of place on a white supremacist website and thought it met the paper’s editorial standards? What does this say about your processes or your decision makers? How are you fixing it? https://t.co/HD5LdeZ9z3

— American Jewish Committee (@AJCGlobal) April 27, 2019

The cartoon, depicting a seemingly blind Mr Trump walking Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu portrayed as a dog, has been denounced by emphatic critics on social media, some going so far as to call out David Duke's credibility as the publication's editor.

The New York Times has issued an apology over this "offensive, anti-Semitic" cartoon. Photo / Supplied

The Times Opinion section apologised on Saturday for the cartoon, which appeared next to a column by American author and journalist Thomas Friedman about immigration, issuing the following statement:

"A political cartoon in the international print edition of The New York Times on Thursday included anti-Semitic tropes, depicting the prime minister of Israel as a guide dog with a Star of David collar leading the president of the United States, shown wearing a skullcap.

"The image was offensive, and it was an error of judgment to publish it. It was provided by The New York Times News and Service Syndicate, which has since deleted it."

An Editors' Note to appear in Monday’s international edition. pic.twitter.com/1rl2vXoTB3

— New York Times Opinion (@nytopinion) April 27, 2019

Donald Trump Jr. weighed in on the situation ripping the Times over the "flagrant anti-Semitism" in the cartoon.

"Disgusting. I have no words for flagrant anti-Semitism on display here," the president's son tweeted.

"Imagine this was in something other than a leftist newspaper?"

Disgusting. I have no words for flagrant anti-Semitism on display here. Imagine this was in something other than a leftist newspaper? https://t.co/3t47DW9OCB

— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) April 27, 2019

Many Israelis and Jews upset by the printing of the cartoon remarked that the jab was exacerbated by being published during the Jewish holy period of Passover, reports Newsweek, the situation only worsened by the "hate crime" shooting at a California synagogue where at least one person has reportedly died and several — including children — have been injured.