Israeli Prime Minister Says World Media Provide 'Twisted' View of Hezbollah

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert says the international media is hardly "fair and balanced" in who it wants to win the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.

Reuters reports:

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."

The war broke out on July 12 when Hizbollah captured two Israeli soldiers and killed eight others in a cross-border raid. Israel retaliated with attacks that have wrecked Lebanon's infrastructure and killed 365 people, mostly civilians.

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

Israel has said it wants to cripple Hizbollah, which is sworn to destroy the Jewish state. The Shi'ite militia is backed by Iran and Syria, both arch enemies of Israel.