Here's a contender for the best newspaper correction of the year.

Israeli daily Ha'aretz explained that, in its interview with French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, the minister intended to say that Israel would "hit Iran" before it obtained a nuclear bomb, and not "eat Iran" as published in the newspaper. The transcript of the interview, which was conducted in English, was approved by the minister's aides before publication.

Ha'aretz said it regretted the misunderstanding.

It all leaves a bad taste in the mouth.