Children's coloring book in South Africa promotes eradication of Israel and glorifies intifada

Image of kid drawing on paper behind a case of crayons.

A controversial new children's coloring book appeared on local bookshelves in South Africa (SA,) calling for the eradication of Israel and genocide of all who live there, according to a report by the South African Jewish Report (SAJR) from the beginning of June.

The new coloring book - titled "From the River to the Sea" - excludes Jews and Israelis, portraying them negatively as oppressors while promoting antisemitic narratives and denying Israel's right to exist. The South African Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD) condemned it for indoctrinating children, and stated it was "promoting the obliteration of Jews from our historical and rightful homeland."

In response, the authors of the book, Social Bandit Media, argued this was "a co-ordinated attempt to intimate and harass us … now Zionists want to burn South African children’s book too," the SAJR reported.

As a result of the heated controversy, SA’s biggest bookstore chain Exclusive Books removed the book from its shelves. Despite suffering backlash, Exclusive Books chose not to comment on the matter.

The children’s coloring book From the River to the Sea says that it "introduces young readers to the key concepts driving and sustaining Palestinian resistance," and includes a page portraying intifadas, or the two violent uprisings where approximately 1000 Israelis were murdered in suicide bombings, SAJR further reported.

Display of children's coloring books. (credit: STOCKVAULT)

Display of children's coloring books. (credit: STOCKVAULT)

Additionally, children were invited to color various Palestinian figures, such as Refaat Alareer and Ahed Tamimi, who have both been critical of Israel in the past and made some controversial comments concerning the October 7 massacre.

Accusations of spreading hate and distorting history

Moreover, in the book, Israel is termed as "a military outpost of Western imperialism," and claims that "Israel imposed apartheid policies in all of historic Palestine," accompanied by a series of fabricated maps showing Palestine allegedly shrunk, according to the SAJR’s report.

"Looking at the genocides of the 20th century and the paths that led to them, among the many distinguishing steps, one of the most important was the indoctrination of children," said Jakub Nowakowski, the director of the Cape Town Holocaust & Genocide Center.

"Perpetrators deliberately manipulated young minds, teaching children from the earliest age to hate and to see their fellow human beings as less than human."

"As a society, we must prioritize shielding our youth from hate," Nowakowski said. He further emphasized the importance of future generations and their ability to overcome Jewish collective trauma to "build bridges, breaking the vicious cycles of hate."

The illustrated book featured artwork by Nathi Ngubane, a freelance cartoonist for Daily Maverick, and aimed to "educate parents and children," the illustrator claimed in a video interview. Ngubane further explained his goal of presenting history in an "accurate and accessible" way for kids, with input from educators, parents, experts, and Palestinian journalists.

He further claimed the book emphasized themes of "resistance, freedom, and hope," focusing on children's lives in Gaza while it overlooked Israeli children.

"It’s repugnant that this publication can be published and targeted at young minds," the SAJBD stated. "We reject attempts to indoctrinate children. While we’re saddened by the ongoing conflict, campaigns like this only perpetuate animosity and prolong the cycle of hatred. We urgently call for the immediate cessation of this extremely irresponsible publication."

The South African Zionist Federation (SAZF) criticized the children's coloring book and labeled it "antisemitic, devoid of truth, and propaganda." SAZF spokesperson Rolene Marks expressed concerns about the book's depiction of violence and its use of the slogan "From the river to the sea," associated with Hamas, which she argued calls for Israel's annihilation.

Marks also criticized the book for misleadingly using Nelson Mandela's image. She emphasized that many South African children face significant challenges concerning hunger and crime and should not be exposed to Middle Eastern political issues. Marks noted that the book's portrayal contradicts South Africa's constitutional values and the recognition of Israel's right to exist by many South Africans and Christian communities.

In response to the SAJBD’s statement, Social Bandit Media claimed," the SAJBD statement [was] an attempt to smear Palestinians and place more pressure on these mainstream bookstores," and urged "bookstores to stand on the right side of history."