Beirut's English-Language "Daily Star" Hits Israeli Attacks

[thepurpose]

By E&P Staff

Published: July 16, 2006 7:35 PM ET

NEW YORK Americans have read about the current Middle East crisis in local or national papers, and watched network and cable news. But what does the leading English language newspaper in Lebanon have to say about it?

The Daily Star has been an institution in the region since 1952, and now affiliated with the International Herald Tribune (IHT). In Lebanon, the IHT includes an additional 8- to 12-page section of news and analysis published by The Daily Star. According to the IHT web site, "The IHT/The Daily Star will soon be available throughout the Middle East and the Gulf countries. "

The Daily Star Web site, www.dailystar, is also popular, and naturally is filled this week with stories chronicling damage in Lebanon -- including the death on Sunday of several visiting Canadians -- from the Israeli attack and the attacks on Israel.

On Sunday the top of the site screamed in red: LEBANON UNDER ATTACK.

Appearing in its Monday edition is the following editorial.

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In response to Israel's relentless attacks in Lebanon, Hizbullah's leader, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, on Sunday showed only cool nerve, determined commitment and unwavering resolve. This only goes to show that Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's handling of what could have been a confined crisis is doing nothing to deter Hizbullah, and has only succeeded in pushing the entire region closer to an all-out war.

Instead of addressing the root causes of the regional conflict, the Israeli premier is responding to a crisis with unprecedented escalation. Olmert's - and Washington's - line is that Israel is defending itself in Gaza and in Lebanon, but we have seen that each disproportionate act of "self-defense" amounts to a provocation that only puts more and more Arab -- and Israeli -- lives at risk.

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1002840082