Israel paper cuts Merkel from Paris march photo for modesty

JERUSALEM — A small Jewish ultra-Orthodox newspaper in Israel is making waves internationally for removing German Chancellor Angela Merkel from a photo of this week's Paris march out of modesty.

World leaders had linked arms to march in Paris against terrorism after Islamic extremists killed 17 people. At the march, German Chancellor Angela Merkel stood in the front row between French President Francois Hollande and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

But readers of the Hamevaser newspaper's Monday edition didn't know, as she had been digitally removed, leaving Abbas standing next to Hollande. Israeli media joked it was meant to bring Abbas closer to Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu, who was standing nearby.

Within the insular ultra-Orthodox community, pictures of women are rarely shown, due to modesty concerns. In Jerusalem, ultra-Orthodox vandals frequently deface buses and billboards with advertising deemed to be immodest.

The picture in Hamevaser also cut out other women, like Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, though the newspaper clumsily left her dark glove on the sleeve of a marcher. The European Union's foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, was cropped out.

Binyamin Lipkin, editor of Hamevaser, said the newspaper is a family publication that must be suitable for all audiences, including young children.

"The 8-year-old can't see what I don't want him to see," he told Israel's Channel 10 television station. "True, a picture of Angela Merkel should not ruin the child, but if I draw a line, I have to put it there from the bottom all the way to the top."

He also said he did not want to tarnish the memories of the people killed in the attacks.

"Including a picture of a woman into something so sacred, as far as we are concerned, it can desecrate the memory of the martyrs and not the other way around," he said.