Published: 22 October 2021
Last updated: 4 March 2024
OREN ZIV: The logo of the Punisher, which was appropriated by US security forces and the far right for years, has become a common sight in the Israeli army
A STRIKING SYMBOL closely associated with the far right, the police, and the military in the United States has grown increasingly visible among members of Israel’s security forces in recent years. From soldiers patrolling the occupied West Bank to security guards at a kibbutz in northern Israel, the “Punisher” logo, represented by a skull insignia, has become hard to miss.
The symbol’s origins lie in the famous comic book character of the same name, an anti-hero who first appeared in Marvel’s fictional universe in 1974. In the comics, the Punisher is a military veteran whose family was murdered by the Mafia, leading him to wage a violent campaign to kill the mobsters and other criminal elements.
The comic was later adapted into movies as well as a popular series on Netflix. Gareth Ennis, one of the writers of the series, described the Punisher as someone who “sees the world in black and white.”
Yet over the past few years, the Punisher logo has become a symbol of military power and deterrence among many US army personnel. It has also become appropriated by American far-right and white supremacist movements, and was visible among some of the people who took part in the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol.
The use of this emblem among Israel’s security forces recently gained attention after it was worn by a soldier who attacked Palestinian and Israeli activists at a protest in the South Hebron Hills; the emblem was also spotted on a helmet inside a military vehicle at the same incident. During the violent weeks of May, the symbol was also seen on the vest of an Israeli police officer dressed in civilian clothing in Jaffa.
FULL STORY The US far right hijacked this symbol. Now Israeli soldiers are too (972)
Photo: An Israeli soldier carrying a backpack with the Punisher/Star of David insignia near Hebron. (B'Tselem)
