Even into the second week of the Israeli-Hizbullah conflict, Israel has been receiving the lion's share of European press backing for its fight. However, many journalists and newspapers have called for restraint on behalf of Israel to minimize civilian casualties.
The Italian Corriere della Sera, which has staunchly backed Israel's defense in the past, has continued to do so and even pointed out the fallacy of those who claim that Israel's response to Hizbullah is disproportionate.
Il Messaggero, however, has taken a different line saying "Speed is of the essence, in order to weaken the war between Israel and Hizbullah before it's too late.”
Blaming extremism and radicalization
Austria's Kurierblas has blamed the events in Middle East on Islamic extremism and opined that Arab leaders have to act to prevent further radicalization.
The paper called for social development in Arab countries, saying that "only then can extremist Islam…be stopped."
Otherwise, concluded the paper, the extremists will "write the next chapter in the history of the Middle East – and it will be another bloody one."
The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung took a more even-handed approach, saying a cease-fire can not be achieved "as long as Hizbullah doesn't surrender there and the missiles into Haifa are celebrated as a victory, or as long as Israel doesn't reach its military goal -- these are two sides of the same coin."
The Times of London said: "The parameters of the current crisis are simple. Iran, with help from Syria, is trying to maximize its influence. Its arming of Hizbullah with rockets that can reach deep into Israel gives the radical militia group, and ultimately Teheran, the power to sabotage any peace plan."
The most popular British newspaper, The Sun published a sympathetic article about two young Israeli soldiers fighting in southern Lebanon titled 'We are sick of terrorism'. The article commented about the youngsters "bum fluff" beards and how if they were British teenagers "they would be eagerly awaiting A-Level results."
Not all positive
Irish newspaper Forfás decried Ireland's ever decreasing dependency on oil and how it is affected by the Middle East.
"As the bombs fall on northern Israel and Lebanon and as the oil price rises, we need to start thinking about the kind of future we are going back to," Forfás wrote.
The French papers, on the whole, have been in favor of French President Chirac's mediation efforts. Le Monde said Chirac's effort "is without a doubt the most legitimate policy." Liberation and Le Figaro both deplored America's seeming unwillingness to step in and attempt to end the conflict.
Finland's Swedish-language daily Helsinki Hufvudstadsbladet made absurd accusations bordering on anti-Semitic against Israel's offensive, claiming "Jewish life is worth more than Muslim (life). An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth is not enough; it is meted out as eyes for an eye and teeth for a tooth."
Reprinted with permission of European Jewish Press