Wartime propaganda

Middle East: Arab stations exploit graphic images and doctor footage to pump anti-Israel, anti-U.S. fervor | Jill Nelson

When war erupted in Israel and Lebanon on July 12, some Arab leaders criticized Hezbollah for its reckless cross-border death raid and kidnapping of Israeli soldiers that sparked the conflict. Now, as a steady stream of graphic images is being published in newspapers and broadcast to a sea of satellite dishes perched randomly on balconies and rooftops across the Middle East, public protests against Israel have drowned any criticism of Hezbollah and its cronies. An old Arab saying has risen from the annals: "The enemy of my enemy is my friend."

Headlines such as "Israelis granted more time to kill" and cartoons mocking U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice have taken center stage as the Israel-Hezbollah conflict eclipses war in Iraq. Arab media coverage has focused intently upon numbers: More than 500 Lebanese have died compared to 51 Israelis since fighting began.