How do our sources of information shape our views of the Mideast conflict?

Jerusalem 2001 Ariel Sharon visits Temple Mount, sparking 2nd intifada

Security worsens throughout Israel and Palestinian Territories Jerusalem, always a divided city, experiences increasing tension

Security cameras and metal detectors watch over Jerusalems holy sites for Christians, Jews, and Muslims

Images like these dominate the international press Palestinian men in the West Bank explore ruins of a car destroyed by Israeli rockets in 2002.

Jerusalem 2002 Israel builds a wall around the West Bank to improve its security

Severe access restrictions Cars with Israeli plates are banned from entering West Bank; Palestinian cars banned from entering Israel

Settlers continue to occupy parts of West Bank Committed Zionists live inside Palestinian territories

Jerusalem 2004 Two years after The Wall, security still abysmal and the settler issue still very inflammatory.

What is life like on the other side of The Wall?

East Jerusalem Checkpoint Palestinian taxis wait to take passengers traveling in cars with Israeli plates

East Jerusalem Checkpoint Security checks long and punishing. Palestinians may wait for days for approval to leave the West Bank. Israel is the prime source of jobs, airports, expert medical care for Palestinians.

Israelis not welcome Passport checks discourage Israelis from entering.

And on the other side of the checkpoint

Ramallah 2004 Capital of the Palestinian territories and one of the most vibrant cities in the Arab world.

Ramallah 2004 Life goes on in the markets

Ramallah 2004 in the shops

Ramallah 2004 and in the restaurants.

Ramallah 2004 Mosque outside Hamas headquarters. Israel had recently declared a political party rather than a terrorist organization.

Was this what you expected?

ATTENTION EDITORS: As a precautionary measure, Reuters has decided to withdraw all photos taken by freelancer Adnan Hajj after discovering in the last 24 hours that he altered two photographs since the beginning of the conflict between Israel and the Lebanese group Hizbollah. The first, a photograph of the aftermath of an Israeli air strike on Beirut which ran on Aug. 6, 2006, was withdrawn yesterday. At that point, Reuters terminated its relationship with this freelancer and began an investigation into all his work. Subsequently a second altered photograph was identified, of an Israeli F-16 warplane in action over Lebanon that ran on Aug. 2, 2006. Reuters has tightened its editing procedure for photographs of the conflict and regrets any inconvenience caused

What about the media coverage? Adnan Hajj, Reuters freelancer, fired for using Photoshop to add smoke, fire, and other effects to his photographs of Hezbollah.