Nine Newspapers has issued a public apology after a 'divisive' cartoon about the royal commission into the Bondi Beach terror attack sparked widespread backlash.

The media giant has copped heavy fire over cartoonist Cathy Wilcox's illustration titled 'Grassroots', which was published in The Age and Sydney Morning Herald last Wednesday.

Daily Mail has chosen not to republish the cartoon, which showed media mogul Rupert Murdoch, anti-Semitism envoy Jillian Segal, former prime minister John Howard, Opposition Leader Sussan Ley, Coalition Senator Jacinta Price, and National Party leader David Littleproud uplifting a patch of grass full of royal commission protesters.

To the side of the politicians was Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, beating a drum along with a thought bubble reading 'don't mention the war'.

The cartoon sparked widespread claims of antisemitism and outrage from Jewish leaders, politicians and high-profile Australians, prompting Nine to publish an apology and explanation on its newspaper websites on Sunday.

'Much has been said and written about the Cathy Wilcox cartoon published in these pages on January 7,' the apology read.

'For decades, the Herald's cartoonists have held up a mirror to reflect hypocrisy in public life. This is the price of independence and it must never be compromised.

'Wilcox's intention was to scrutinise the almost immediate politicisation following the horrific attack at Bondi. She by no means intended to cause hurt to the Jewish community. 

Nine newspapers have issued an apology after publishing a cartoon 'mocking' calls for a royal commission into the Bondi Beach terror attack (pictured, the memorial at Bondi Pavilion)

Cathy Wilcox (pictured at a 2017 Fairfax protest) created the cartoon to 'scrutinise the almost immediate politicisation following the horrific attack at Bondi'

'Her depiction of Benjamin Netanyahu, for example, is premised on his condemnation of Anthony Albanese in the hours after the attack, declaring the prime minister's recognition of Palestine "pours fuel on the antisemitic fire".'

The apology was published just hours before mourners gathered in the rain at Bondi Pavilion to mark one month since the deadly terror attack that claimed 15 innocent lives at a Hanukkah celebration.

Jewish community leaders branded the cartoon an offensive take on mounting calls for a comprehensive investigation and federal royal commission into the December 14 terror attack.