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Hezbollah Media Outlets Warm To Christians in Lebanon

This year, Hezbollah media outlets in Lebanon displayed an uncommon willingness to broadcast Christian celebrations, a sign that the Shiite group is trying to court Christians into an eventual alliance against rising Sunni extremism, writes Nasser Chararah.
Residents stand near a Christmas tree in front of the Al-Amin mosque in downtown Beirut December 18, 2012. REUTERS/Jamal Saidi (LEBANON - Tags: RELIGION SOCIETY)

This year, more than any other year, media sources controlled by Hezbollah have broadcast displays of Christmas celebration. On Christmas Day, the Hezbollah-affiliated Al-Nour radio station took the occasion to praise Jesus Christ’s birth, and chose to broadcast religious songs following a political decision made by Hezbollah.

The party’s main TV channel (Al Manar) did the same. It dedicated a share of its programming to wishing Christians well on the day celebrating of the birth of Christ. Moreover, its news bulletins included positive media coverage of Christmas celebrations. They highlighted Hezbollah’s participation in these celebrations through talks on the place of Jesus, the son of Mary, in Islam.

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