Not Fit to Print (a continuing series)

One of the ways the New York Times skews its coverage of the Middle East, and countless other subjects, is by what is known in the biz as "story selection"--what stories it prints and doesn't print. The Times routinely squelches stories that are unflattering to its prevailing sentiments on the Middle East (basically somewhere in the vicinity of "Peace Now," the "New Israel Fund" and other airheads of that vintage).

Today's installment of what you won't see in the Times--in this instance because of the paper's desire to downplay the bloodthirstiness of Hezbollah--is a piece that appeared in Ha'aretz, quoted in Backspin: Hezbollah nabs, later returns two residents of Ghajar village.

According to Ha'aretz:

"Two residents of the northern village of Ghajar, located along the Lebanese border, were kidnapped earlier this month by Hezbollah members from Lebanon, it was released for publication on Thursday.

"The two, who live on the Israeli side of the village, were forcibly taken to the Lebanese side of the border on April 7. The Shin Bet security service says Hezbollah's interrogation of the two included threats and violence, and lasted four days, after which they were returned to Israeli territory."

Let's see if the Times alludes to this in its next story on Hezbollah. Don't hold your breath. But if so, I'll let you know.