By Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi
Israel News Agency

Jerusalem ----- July 11, 2008 ....... Revelations today, July 10, that Iran apparently faked a "fourth" missile in photos published in newspapers and Internet news sites across the globe are a reminder that this isn’t the first time Iran and its terrorist proxies have gotten caught staging news scenes.

During Israel’s defensive war against Hezbollah in Lebanon two years ago, the phenomenon was so common that it became known as "Hezbollywood."

And six months ago in Gaza, leaders of Iran - backed Hamas purposely dimmed the lights in their government meeting rooms to pretend that Israel had cut off electricity to Gaza. They invited photographers to the scene to show them supposedly having to work by candlelight. Journalists weren’t fooled - they noted that it was daytime and that the curtains had been drawn to cloak the room in darkness.

The Iran leaders would like us to believe that with 3,000 spinning centrifuges in the works, they are not developing nuclear weapons. But if we cannot trust photos of their missile system from their official Iran press offices, how can we trust that the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism is telling the truth about their nuclear program?

Four short-range missiles blast off from the Iranian desert, or is it three missiles? The first picture comes from the Iranian news website Jamejam, and clearly shows one missile has failed to take off. It sits on its launcher while its three companions power into the sky. But it was the second image that was released by the PR arm of the Revolutionary Guard – and it seems to have been digitally enhanced to wipe away all traces of the embarrassing dud. Gone is the faulty rocket on its launcher, to be replaced with a fourth successful launch, complete with billowing clouds of exhaust and desert dust.

Similar incidents of staged and faked PR news photos and footage that occurred during Hezbollah’s 34-day war against Israel include: a man purporting to be a rescue worker at the site of a bombed village appearing in various photos in the international media, repeatedly displaying the same child’s dead body at different times – and in different poses – throughout the day.

The man, identified as Salam Daher, wore a green helmet in all of the photos, earning himself the nickname "green helmet guy." Daher was also found to have directed a camera shooting the scene.

A man purporting to be a rescue worker at the site of a bombed village appearing in various photos in the international media, repeatedly displaying the same child’s dead body at different times – and in different poses – throughout the day. The man, identified as Salam Daher, wore a green helmet in all of the photos, earning himself the nickname "green helmet guy." Daher was also found to have directed a camera shooting the scene.

Reuters freelance photographer Adnan Hajj used the photo editor Adobe Photoshop to doctor his pictures, darkening and enhancing plumes of smoke over Beirut to make damage to the city appear worse. Hajj was found to have manipulated another widely disseminated photo showing an Israel jet dropping three flares over Lebanon; Hajj had used Photoshop to add two of the flares, which had been identified in the caption as "missiles."

His exploitations resulted in Reuters firing him and withdrawing all of his almost 1,000 photos in its archives.

Reuters freelance photographer Adnan Hajj used Photoshop to doctor his pictures, darkening and enhancing plumes of smoke over Beirut to make damage to the city appear worse. Hajj was found to have manipulated another widely disseminated photo showing an Israeli jet dropping three flares over Lebanon; Hajj had used Photoshop to add two of the flares, which had been identified in the caption as "missiles." His exploitations resulted in Reuters firing him and withdrawing all of his almost 1,000 photos in its archives.

Two pictures showed the same woman weeping as she stood in front of her destroyed Beirut home; it was later discovered that the two homes were in different locations and were taken two weeks apart.

In related news, the US vowed to defend Israel as Iran carried out its second ballistic missile test in two days yesterday. Iran appeared to have fired only a single missile on Thursday, not a second round of missiles as Iranian media reported, and seven on Wednesday not nine as claimed, a senior defense official told AFP.

The United States had detected the launch of seven missiles on Wednesday, including a Shahab-3 missile said to be capable of striking Israel, the US official said, asking to remain anonymous.

"There appears to have been one missile fired today, but that may well have been one that failed the day before, and they finally got operational and launched today," the official said.

The Pentagon, whose surveillance satellites and other technology track such launches, yesterday confirmed the second batch of missile tests, which were carried out at night.

Israel responded to Iran aggression by placing on display at the country's international Ben-Gurion airport its new spy and early warning plane, which can reach Iran. Israel also stated that it would not hesitate to attack Iran's nuclear facilities.

According to official Iran reports, the weapons tested included long-range Shahab-3 missiles, capable of reaching Israel and US bases in the region. The reports said the missiles had undisclosed special features. But the Pentagon insisted they were only short-range ones.

The US secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice, made it clear yesterday that the US would step in if Israel were attacked.

"We take very, very strongly our obligation to help our allies defend themselves and no one should be confused about that."

White House spokesman Tony Fratto said: "What our goal is to use diplomacy as best as possible to bring Iran to the table in a way that we can resolve this peacefully.

The missile "tests are in violation of, or the expansive use of ballistic missiles are in violation of UN Security Council resolutions," he added.

"We want to see them stop enriching uranium and we'd like to see them stop these provocative tests that only further isolate the Iran people," Fratto added.

 

Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi, founder and president of The Israel Project.

The Israel Project is an international non-profit organization devoted to educating the press and the public about Israel while promoting security, freedom and peace. The Israel Project provides journalists, leaders and opinion-makers accurate information about Israel. The Israel Project is not related to any government or government agency. The Israel Project Board of Advisors includes: Sen. Evan Bayh (IN), Sen. Ben Cardin (MD), Sen. Saxby Chambliss (GA), Sen. Tom Coburn (OK), Sen. Norm Coleman (MN), Sen. Susan Collins (ME), Sen. Judd Gregg (NH), Sen. Joe Lieberman (CT), Sen. Ben Nelson (NE), Sen. Gordon Smith (OR), Sen. Arlen Specter (PA), Sen. Ron Wyden (OR), Rep. Rob Andrews (NJ), Rep. Shelley Berkley (NV), Rep. Tom Davis (VA), Rep. Eliot Engel (NY), Rep. Frank Pallone (NJ), Rep. Jon Porter (NV), Rep. John Sarbanes (MD), Rep. Jim Saxton (NJ), Rep. Brad Sherman (CA), Rep. Joe Wilson (SC), Actor and Director Ron Silver.

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