Olmert: foreign media biased in Hizbollah coverage

[sabra]

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L23866633.htm

Olmert: foreign media biased in Hizbollah coverage

JERUSALEM, July 23 (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert accused the international media on Sunday of bias by not properly portraying the "murderous viciousness" of the Lebanese guerrilla group Hizbollah in its war with the Jewish state.

"The massive, brutal and murderous viciousness of Hizbollah is unfortunately not represented in its full intensity on television screens outside of Israel," Olmert told reporters.

"A twisted image is presented, where the victim is presented as an aggressor."

...

At least 37 Israelis have died, 17 of them civilians killed by Hizbollah rockets on the north of the country.

[orwell]

1. Right out of the NeoCon playbook...

...blame the press...

[Tesha]

19. And when the press shifts towards your point of view...

And when the press shifts towards your point of view,
blame them some more so they shift again. And again.
And again...

Tesha

[Supersedeas]

40. or pre-emptively charge the other side with wrongs currently in progress

up is down

right is left

and 2 + 2 = 5


Oh yea, well, it was the other side that was saying down is up, and we pointed it out first.

Meanwhile, the Corporate Media...if they cover it at all...will simply report on the argument about who blamed the other first while the original wrong goes uninvestigated.

[wakeme2008]

2. He has got all the Bush lines down pat

:grr:

[Lindacooks]

3. Classic projection on Olmert's part.

eom

[darkism]

4. It's opposite day again.

Blame the pro-Israel press for being pro-Hezbollah?

It boggles the mind.

[Chulanowa]

5. I've gotta agree with him!

"A twisted image is presented, where the victim is presented as an aggressor."

Oh... wait...

[ShortnFiery]

7. All the innocent civilians, both in Lebanon and Israel are VICTIMS

Israel is committing collective punishment, plus bombing the infrastructure is a war crime.

Did the fact that 1/3 of those innocent civilians murdered in Lebanon are children under the age of 12 escape your consciousness?

[Chulanowa]

9. Sorry, I was being facetious

and trying to point out the irony of Olmert saying "A twisted image is presented, where the victim is presented as an aggressor." even as he is condemning the entire country and population of Lebanon to future years of death and misery because "they started it!"

A :sarcasm: tag wasn't quite applicable. Is there a "pot and kettle" smilie I missed, maybe? :)

[ShortnFiery]

10. Excuse me also :-)

I have absolutely zero ties to either side ... no relatives ... no friends ... nothing!

But when one side has such a Mighty Force and control of both the USA and Israeli media, I fear that the people are not getting the WHOLE story.

It's shameful that we (the USA) are feared and/or despised in most ALL of the World's Communities.

Rice and Bolton are textbook cases of Anti-Diplomats.

I know we will not reign in Israel's Killing machine and BOTH countries (and it's peoples) will pay a heavy price for the "all or nothing" approach.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with calling for a cease fire to stop the killing and dying on BOTH sides. Lord help us because the blow back is going to be tremendous. :cry:

[Chulanowa]

13. I've got friends on both sides

And they both have relatives on either side. These two women are both in total anguish and confusion. They're terrified for their relatives, they're scared for the future of their two countries, and neither of them knows where to go, what to do, what to think about any of this.

I really wish I were better at the whole "comfort" thing :(

[DoYouEverWonder]

6. "The massive, brutal and murderous viciousness of Hizbollah"

Has opposed to the massive, brutal and murderous viciousness of the Israelis?

[Kagemusha]

8. Olmert, you gonna bomb them too?

Or just the stations run by the Hariri family?

[liberalhistorian]

11. Oh, what a crock of pure bullshit,

puhhhleeeeezzze!!!! It's the exact opposite from what I can see, especially regarding our own incredibly one-sided, biased media. Our media constantly shows aerial shots of Haifa and reports endlessly about the sirens and the one or two rockets a day fired at Haifa, but almost NOTHING about the horrendous civilian and infrastructure toll in Lebanon and Gaza, and Israeli actions totally out of proportion to the two captured Israeli soldiers. Israel is completely out of control and our government and politicians are enabling it, creating a humanitarian crisis of horrendous and sickening proportions, with more than 600,000 Lebanese refugees so far and counting. Yet our media focuses on the much smaller number of Israeli victims.

Olmert doesn't know what the fuck he's doing, and all hell's breaking loose because of it. Sharon, the "Butcher of Beirut" may have wanted to go this far, but he was smart enough to know what folly that would be and the chaos it would bring.

But what the hell, they're just A-rab lives, and we all know that they're ALL terrorists and that they ALL have total control over Hezbollah and Hamas. :sarcasm: :sarcasm:

[funnymanpants]

12. Saw Olmert's brother speak

I saw Olmert's brother speak about 4 years ago at the university. He started out by saying belligerently saying that the US ahd not culture like Israel going back 5,000 years, and Israel would take whatever land it wanted. So he insulted the US audience and unabashedly stated that Irael would continue stealing Palestinian land.

He also said that after 9/11 the whole world was with Israel. I asked him how that could be when the UN voted 140-2 (Israel and the US being the 2) condemning Israel human rights violations. I pointed out there were about 15 similar votes at the UN that year. He became very belligerent and ended up by saying, "well, the US is enough of the world for Israel."

[stranger81]

14. Disgusting

Exactly the opposite is true. You can't turn on CNN without hearing about Israel's inalienable right to "defend itself" by opening invading its neighbors.

Seems like the media needs a reminder in the difference between "defense" and "offense."

[jonnyblitz]

16. war is peace.

:thumbsup: :crazy:

[Crunchy Frog]

15. How does the number of Israeli deaths and injuries compare

with the number of Lebanese ones? What is the ratio of combatant to non-combatant casualties on each side? how does the level of destruction of civilian infrastructure on each side compare?

I would like to see all of it, on both sides, accurately portrayed in the media, and without bias towards one side or another. Just the material facts, not the interpretations, except in editorials that are clearly labeled as such.

[theanarch]

21. last i heard...

the box score is roughly: Israel: 37 dead = 17 civilians, 20 military
Lebanon: 450+ dead (easily more, given the inability to reach most places
--no percentage available of civilian/military, unless one
considers all the dead as Hezbollah supporters)

[liberalhistorian]

29. Yeah, well, good luck with getting that

kind of coverage! Seems the international media is biased one way or the other. And the American MSM-well, fuhgeddaboutit. It's all Israel, all the time.

[mom cat]

17. Hello George Orwell.

"The massive, brutal and murderous viciousness of Hizbollah is unfortunately not represented in its full intensity on television screens outside of Israel," Olmert told reporters.

"A twisted image is presented, where the victim is presented as an aggressor."

I think that if you substitute the name Israel in the place of Hisbollah, the statement would be far more accurate. Israel must change its own behavior that includes"massive,brutal and murderous viciousness".
Furthermore, the nation with the fourth largest military in the world can hardly portray itself as victim anymore.
Certainly Jews were victims of murderous viciousness by Hitler. That was real and totally reprehensible.
But that does not justify the aggressive way the Zionists conquered the Palestinian homeland nor the repeated attacks by Israel against Lebanon.

[MrPrax]

22. I was thinking Orwellian as well...

But for an entirely different reason...

Over the past few days I have made a point of staying away from electronic media, because it makes me livid to see such a disgustingly dishonest slant towards Israel. In fact I just snapped off CBC Radio's national call-in-show because it was 'gamed'.

Pro-Hezbullah slant? :rofl:

They're so bent out of shape, they think any reporting is an a front to the State of Israel -- he wants the western press to simply ignore it like they usually do when it comes to Israeli atrocities. Just mentioning Rachel Corrie is likely to bring down a torrent of accusations as to this poor's young woman's motives. I believe she wanted peace. That becomes a threat as well.

[shadowknows69]

18. Yes, it's almost exclusively pro-Israel

Most of what I've been watching doesn't even mention Lebanese casualties.

[april]

20. This is so bias //

WASHINGTON, July 21 — The Bush administration is rushing a delivery of precision-guided bombs to Israel, which requested the expedited shipment last week after beginning its air campaign against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, American officials said Friday.

ny times ....
what is happening I FEEL FOR THE PEOPLE OF LEBANON!!

[DELUSIONAL]

23. Oh really???? Hizbolla is presented is evil and vile . . .

Every single missile hit inside Israel is reported by the media and ANY Israel victims are name and often we read an obit --

Whereas the Lebanese victims -- rarely named -- we see horrific photos of a FEW victims -- rarely are the victims named. We learn that MOST of the victims are civilians and of that a huge number are CHILDREN.

When is the TRUTH biased reporting???

So now we know why the Israelis appear to be targeting TV stations etc--

But with so many individual with camera and internet connections -- the story will get out by the eye witnesses telling what they have seen -- first hand reporting as close to the event as possible.

Also can anyone estimate the TONNAGE dropped by Hizbolla by airplanes on Israel and then compare the TONNAGE dropped by Israel all over Lebanon???? Ha -- only one side would have data on TONNAGE dropped from airplane. But we can all name the villain -- the Hizbolla -- what I call the comic book look or Hollywood look -- Hizbolla sure looks evil and vile. We get the point Olmert -- Hizbolla is bad BAD.

This war is so lop sided --

Hey Olmert ISRAEL has lost her victim status. Just like the US lost her 9/11 victim status with the invasion and dropping of TONS and TONS of bombs -- plus the kill ratio in Iraq is 50 to 1.

Get over it Olmert -- grow up. When a nation slaughters a whole lot of civilians and eradicates the civilian infrastructure -- that Nation is _____________________ fill in the blank.


We criticize the bush baby frat snot -- and we will criticize the stupid leadership of Israel. The Israeli PEOPLE will soon come to their senses and realize that they have been had by con artists -- their leadership has squandered their good name. I believe that the Israeli PEOPLE are basically good people -- who care about their name. Some of the loudest voices for peace are coming from Israel. So power to the Israeli people to do the right thing and kick the corrupt leadership OUT of office.

[BillZBubb]

24. The truth has a Lebanese bias.

17 Israeli civilians very little infrastructure. What's the damage to Lebanon.

Olmert should be on trial for war crimes. Then let him whine about something other than the press.

[daleo]

25. The civilian death toll is heavily "in favor" of Lebanon

So it would be no surprise that there would be more focus on them. It is just a case of numbers. Which isn't to say Israeli civilians being killed and injured by rockets aren't suffering grievously too.

I haven't heard much sympathy for Hezbollah fighters that have been killed in the international media. Lots for civilians, though.

[rocktivity]

26. I do think it's funny how it's a war with Hizbollah rather than Lebanon

Doesn't Lebanon have a democratic government, and shouldn't they be allied with the Israeli government to oust Hizbollah together?

:headbang:
rocknation

[shadowknows69]

32. Yeah well that might have worked

if they asked first instead of trying to turn Beruit into a parking lot.

[IndianaGreen]

37. Like invading Iraq for WMD became war on terrorism

Have you noticed how the Israelis don't bother to mention their captured soldiers anymore?

[bemildred]

27. Very Bushlike. No sense of irony. nt

[flyarm]

28. the foreign media is the only media left..our media..mia since

little lord pissy pants wan annointed pres!

fuck our media..they are all whores!

yeah to the foreign media..i salute them!!

proudly!

fly

[Zhade]

30. I don't know whether to laugh, or

:puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke:

Guess I decided.

[Joe Bacon]

31. Gee, all I'm seeing on American media is a pro-Israel bias.

Especially of FAUX SNOOZE and CNN. Endless "poor little Israel" drivel.

[GCP]

33. This is real news (from the Guardian)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/syria/story/0,,1827422,00.html

Blasted by a missile on the road to safety

Family ordered to flee were targeted because they were driving minivan

snip

The Sha'itas had thought they were on the road to safety when they set out yesterday, leaving behind a village which because of an accident of geography - it is five miles from the Israeli border - had seemed to make their home a killing ground. They had been ordered to evacuate by the Israelis.

But they were a little too slow and became separated from the other vehicles fleeing the Israeli air offensive in south Lebanon. Minutes before the Guardian's car arrived, trailing a Red Cross ambulance on its way to other civilian wounded in another town, an Israeli missile pierced the roof of the Sha'itas' white van. Three passengers sitting in the third row were killed instantly, including Ali's grandmother. Sixteen other passengers were wounded. In recent days, families like the Sha'itas are bearing the brunt of Israel's air campaign and its efforts to rid the area of civilians before ground operations. A day after Israel's deadline for people to leave their homes and flee north of the Litani river, roads which in ordinary times wind lazily through tobacco fields and banana groves have been turned into highways of death.

More at link

And please let's not hear any whining that "they asked for it by driving the wrong kind of vehicle".

[jonnyblitz]

34. I have been reading lots of news from the UK press lately.

I love the internets! We can't rely on the USA press for an accurate account of this issue, that's for sure! :hi:

[GCP]

41. Hi Jonny!

:loveya:

[AnOhioan]

35. Olmert's karma is gonna be a bitch. n/t

[IndianaGreen]

36. Olmert is telling Israel supporters in the US to attack the messenger

Typical Freeper tactic coming from Olmert.

[NoodleyAppendage]

38. Yeah, that right. You know that there's such an Arab control of the media

What a joke. Olmert can kiss this gentile's ass. Hate to break it to him, but Israel does not get a free pass on their aggressive actions.

[confludemocrat]

39. Olmert is the "decider" of US policy in the middle east, before him Sharon

and not GWB. He has control of the Israel lobby, and Bush answers to it as he answers to the oil and gas lobby.