The New York Times has come under fire for an article that portrayed Hassan Nasrallah, the deceased Hezbollah terror chief, as a 'gifted orator' advocating for 'equality' among all religions.
The piece, headlined 'Protesters Mourn Nasrallah's Death Around the World', was published on the newspaper's website last Saturday, and it was not long before it was met with a wave of criticism, ridicule, and disapproval on various social media platforms.
According to the Daily Mail, the brief article, written in the aftermath of Nasrallah's assassination, lauded the Hezbollah leader, describing him as a 'powerful orator' who was 'beloved among many Shiite Muslims'. This affection was partly attributed to his provision of 'social services' in Lebanon. The piece also claimed that Nasrallah advocated for a unified Palestine where Muslims, Jews, and Christians would coexist equally.
However, Nasrallah was infamous for his advocacy for the annihilation of the Jewish state, and his Iran-supported extremist organization has been responsible for numerous lethal attacks on Jews globally. Despite his frequent assertions of being anti-Zionist rather than anti-Semitic, Nasrallah chillingly stated in a Times article from May of the previous year, 'If Jews all gather in Israel, it will save us the trouble of going after them worldwide'.
Nasrallah, aged 64, was killed in a significant aerial attack by Israeli forces in Beirut last Friday, an event that sent shockwaves around the world. The Times article sparked a backlash on social media, with one user commenting, 'The Times readership is now down to liberal elites, politicians, Communists and Islamists,' in response to a post highlighting sections of the article that had been viewed nearly 250,000 times. Another user questioned the credibility of the New York Times, while another accused the publication of 'Jihadsplaining' and 'attempting to turn explicit calls for genocide into something positive.'
Three senior Israeli defense officials informed the NYT on Saturday that over 80 bombs were dropped within several minutes to assassinate Nasrallah, whose location had been under surveillance for months. These anonymous sources added that the operation had been planned earlier in the week before Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu departed to address the United Nations General Assembly.
Upon confirming Nasrallah's death on Saturday, Hezbollah vowed to continue its battle against Israel. They stated, 'The leadership of Hezbollah pledges... to continue its jihad in confronting the enemy, supporting Gaza and Palestine, and defending Lebanon and its steadfast and honorable people.'
Nasrallah had been a powerful figure within Hezbollah since February 1992, guiding the group's transformation from a militant group formed in the 1982 Lebanon War, amidst the broader Lebanese Civil War, into a political party and regional powerhouse. His death is seen as a significant setback for the Iran-backed group, with potential implications for the stability of Lebanon.
An IDF spokesperson declared triumphantly at the time of his death, 'Hassan Nasrallah will no longer be able to terrorize the world.' Under Nasrallah's leadership, Hezbollah engaged in wars against Israel and participated in the conflict in neighboring Syria, aiding in tipping the balance of power in favor of President Bashar Assad.
The Israeli military confirmed that Ali Karki, the Commander of Hezbollah's Southern Front, and other Hezbollah commanders were also killed in the attack. This comes as the IDF shared a graphic on social media showing the senior Hezbollah figures who had been 'eliminated', stating that they had 'dismantled' the group. Israel reported that over 20 Hezbollah members were also killed alongside Nasrallah in Friday's airstrike.
Among those 'eliminated' were Ibrahim Hussein Jazini, the head of Nasrallah's security unit, and Samir Tawfiq Dib, described by the IDF as 'Nasrallah's long-time confidant and adviser'. The IDF stated, 'Due to their proximity to him, they served a significant role in the day-to-day operations of Hezbollah and Nasrallah in particular.'
A source close to Hezbollah, speaking on condition of anonymity, told AFP that contact with Nasrallah had been lost since Friday evening. The source added that Nasrallah had been rumored killed during Israel's last war with Hezbollah in 2006, but he later re-emerged unscathed.
A military statement identified Ali Karake as the commander of Hezbollah's southern front and stated that he and an unspecified number of other Hezbollah commanders were also killed in the strikes. The statement read, 'During Hassan Nasrallah's 32-year reign as the Secretary-General of Hezbollah, he was responsible for the murder of many Israeli civilians and soldiers, and the planning and execution of thousands of terrorist activities.'
White House national security spokesman John Kirby stated that Israel's airstrikes had 'wiped out' Hezbollah's command structure, but he cautioned that the group would quickly work to rebuild it. Speaking on CNN, Kirby said of Nasrallah, 'I think people are safer without him walking around,' but he added, 'they will try to recover. We're watching to see what they do to try to fill this leadership vacuum. It's going to be tough. Much of their command structure has now been wiped out.'
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