Please do not follow this link unless you are prepared for graphic images. Normally I would not post something this graphic, but unfortunately, that is part of the story. Camera.org (Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America) has posted pictures showing how Reuters edited pictures of the Israeli raid on the Mavi Marmari, Two pictures of the activists on the ship were cropped in such a way that the knives in their hands did not show in the pictures.
There is an update on the story posted on the Camera.org site today that states:
"Reuters photo archive (pictures.Reuters.com) now includes both the earlier cropped version of the photos, as well as the original, uncropped version. Reuters representatives continue to justify the cropped pictures by insisting that cropping the edges of a photo is normal editing procedure for photographs. Perhaps so, but the fact that the cropping was carefully limited to the specific evidence of the "peace" activists' weapons has prompted the Israeli government press office to weigh in on the matter with a letter to Reuters CEO Tom Glocer demanding a clarification of the apparent photo abuse by Reuters."
The battles in the Middle East always involve propaganda. The question becomes, "Who can you trust as a news source when looking at news from that area of the world?" Generally I have found that the press releases on the website of the Israeli Defense Force have the most reliable information. Although they are a part of the Israeli government, they seem dedicated to telling the truth. They are also a good source of information about the propaganda coming from the other side.
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