(July 18, 2006) — While it’s not surprising that nearly every editorial page in the U.S. has offered support for Israel’s right to retaliate against Hamas and Hezbollah, it’s a disgrace that few have expressed outrage, or at least condemnation, over the extent of death and destruction in and around Beirut — and the attacks on the country’s infrastructure, which harms most citizens of that country.
Hundreds of civilians have been killed in Lebanon, dozens of bridges and part of Beirut’s airport destroyed, power stations and ports short-circuited. Latest reports put the number of refugees at half a million, with thousands of Americans waiting for evacuation.
Amazingly, criticism of the extent of Israel’s bombing — and its policy of collective punishment — has actually decreased as the carnage has mounted.
I’m surprised he’s seen any editorial against the bombing. I know I haven’t.
I think 95% of European editorials demand the end of the violence against civilians on both sides with quite harsh words.
I am surprised that the news agencies did not show pictures. Now reuters starts to show some more.
Dear Issandr,
I think that this article In Salon may be of interest to you:
http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2006/07/19/maximal/index.html
I think that if there is any truth to this, then the region is in for a lot more to come….
Chris
The alternative press in the US is often a different story. I wrote this for the Philadelphia Citypaper this week:
http://www.citypaper.net/articles/2006-07-20/slant.shtml
I’m hoping to place a follow-up this week as well.
NPR is discussing the morality of Israeli civilian deaths as I type – in great detail, and interviewing Louise Arbour. They asked one of their interviewees last night about the morality of bombing roads in southern Lebanon as civilians fled (after warning them to flee). Their coverage is still carefully “balanced” but it’s the most sympathy I’ve seen for Lebanon in the US media. NBC is actually starting to sound more pro-Israel than CNN on this one. Washington Post has had coverage sympathetic to Lebanese civilians too, though I haven’t checked out their editorials.
Oops – that’s “Israeli and Lebanese civilian deaths.”
Nancy Pelosi apparently wanted to get language calling on all sides to avoid killing civilians on the Congressional resolution on Israel-Lebanon and the Republicans refused (pro-lifers, inded) There is open talk about the importance of the upcoming midterm Congressional elections and how important it is to stand behind Israel. A key strand in the mainstream American argument seems to be that Israel is only responding to Hezbollah’s abduction of soldiers + rockets (they conflate the two – no mention of Israel’s bombing raids after the abduction of soldiers).
It’s not as though the press doesn’t discuss civilian casualties, it’s just very easily rationalized and incorporated in the “Israel is fighting ruthless terrorists and this is what it takes” narrative.
Here in Morocco I get CNBC. At night CNBC shows the domestic NBC new show hosted by Brian Williams, and a few days ago he was actually hosting the whole thing from Northern Israel. They devoted about 3-4 times as much time to Israel than Lebanon, doing a long reportage on Israeli victims in Haifa, their stories, etc. and showed the impact crater of a rocket — it was about 20cm deep. It looked completely ridiculous next to the destroyed buildings in Lebanon, where they didn’t show much footage, didn’t interview any Lebanese and just kept the camera focused on their reporter Richard Engel.
Thanks to all for the links. The European press that I’m seeing is essentially dividing its editorials with concern over the damage in Lebanon and geostrategic analysis about Syria, Iran, etc.