The Associated Press (AP) found itself at the center of controversy after publishing a biographical article about Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah that painted the terrorist group's chief in an overly positive light.
The article, which appeared to be a preemptive piece anticipating Nasrallah's potential death after the IDF's strike on Hezbollah's headquarters, initially bore the headline "Charismatic and shrewd: A look at longtime Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah." This characterization drew immediate comparisons to The Washington Post's controversial description of al-Qaida leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi as an "austere religious scholar" following his death in 2019.
AP on the death of a Republican Senator
vs
The possible death of a terror leader responsible for tens of thousands of deaths. pic.twitter.com/xy04v0s0dv
— AG (@AGHamilton29) September 28, 2024
Following a swift backlash on social media, AP amended its headline to the more neutral "Who is longtime Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah?" by Saturday morning. The rapid edit seemed to be a direct response to the flood of criticism on X, formerly known as Twitter.
AG Hamilton, a prominent social media user, highlighted the disparity in AP's treatment of different figures by juxtaposing the Nasrallah headline with one about the late US Senator Jim Inhofe (R-OK). The latter read: "Former US Sen Inhofe, defense hawk who called human-caused climate change a 'hoax,' dies at 89."
.@AP I'm sorry for your loss.
"Charismatic and shrewd.... an astute strategist... considered a pragmatist... idolized by his Lebanese Shiite followers... respected by millions across the Arab and Islamic world... " https://t.co/bezopcUSTe
Maybe next time, speak to his victims. pic.twitter.com/qUb3EbRMri
— Hillel Neuer (@HillelNeuer) September 28, 2024
Hillel Neuer, a human rights activist, sarcastically addressed the AP, saying, "I'm sorry for your loss," before quoting phrases from the article that appeared to praise Nasrallah: "Charismatic and shrewd.... an astute strategist... considered a pragmatist... idolized by his Lebanese Shiite followers... respected by millions across the Arab and Islamic world…" Neuer suggested the news agency should have spoken to Nasrallah's victims instead, concluding, "Maybe next time, speak to his victims."
Rep Mike Waltz (R-FL) dismissed AP's portrayal, stating, "Nasrallah was a ruthless, murderous terrorist." Similarly, Rep Anthony D'Esposito (R-NY) asserted, "Nasrallah is not a 'charismatic leader.' He is a bloodthirsty, anti-Semitic terrorist."
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 28, 2024
Even the owner of X himself, Elon Musk, addressed AP's controversy by sharing Visegrad 24's post titled "Ladies and gentlemen, the mainstream press!"
Not a parody from the AP.
Nasrallah was a ruthless, murderous terrorist. pic.twitter.com/LcyxerVmNv
— Rep. Mike Waltz (@michaelgwaltz) September 28, 2024
The Daily Wire noted that AP's article went through 12 paragraphs before mentioning the word "terrorist." Instead, it referred to Nasrallah using terms such as "astute strategist," "archenemy of Israel," and "a fiery orator viewed as an extremist."
This incident marks one of many in which renowned media outlets, such as AP, were scrutinized for their portrayal of Israel's ongoing conflict with Gaza's Hamas and Lebanon's Hezbollah.
A comprehensive study has revealed that the BBC's coverage of the Israel-Hamas conflict was markedly biased against Israel, with the British broadcaster reportedly violating its own "editorial guidelines" more than 1,500 times. Other prominent international media outlets were criticized mainly on social media for refraining from using the word "terrorist" or "terrorism" in describing Hamas and Hezbollah since the war broke out after Hamas' deadly attack on Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1200 people, mostly civilians, and kidnapping 250.
