The world’s media is currently focused on the conflict between Israel and Hamas, often forgetting the war taking place in Ukraine. This situation was highlighted by the Singaporean cartoonist Heng, whose drawings reflect this hierarchy of current events with relevance and irony.
Since the deadly Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, the media have paid constant attention to the Middle East. Israeli bombings on the Gaza Strip, already weakened by a humanitarian crisis, continue to provoke reactions and debates throughout the world. Meanwhile, the war in Ukraine continues, with relative media indifference.
However, the situation in Ukraine is far from resolved. The United States and the European Union continue to support kyiv, despite some signs of fatigue, such as Slovakia’s recent decision to cease its military support. The European summit held in Brussels on October 26 and 27 addressed the issue of Ukraine, but the media preferred to focus on the Middle East.
The cartoonist Heng, known for his work in the Singaporean daily Lianhe Zaobao and in other Asian newspapers, created powerful drawings to denounce this difference in treatment of current events. It ironically highlights the media imbalance by depicting caricatures of Israeli and Palestinian soldiers attracting media attention, while Ukrainian soldiers remain in the shadows.
These cartoons were produced as part of Cartooning for Peace, an international network of cartoonists committed to promoting freedom of expression, human rights and mutual respect between cultures and beliefs. They perfectly illustrate the importance of the role of the media in constructing the media agenda and the influence they have on public opinion.
It is essential to take a step back from current events and not get absorbed by a single media-driven conflict. Wars, whether in the Middle East or in Ukraine, have major humanitarian and political consequences and deserve our full attention. It is up to the media and citizens to inform themselves in a balanced manner and to take a critical look at events taking place in the world.