STEVEN SPIELBERG - SPIELBERG HIRES POLITICAL ADVISOR

STEVEN SPIELBERG has recruited one of Israeli Prime Minister ARIEL SHARON's advisers to help him promote his movie about the 1972 Munich Olympics terrorist attack.

Spielberg's film follows an Israeli hit squad's hunt for Palestinian terrorists who held Jewish athletes hostage. Eleven of the athletes were killed when a German rescue attempt went wrong.

Although unreleased, the movie has attracted criticism and been accused of historical inaccuracy.

So Spielberg hopes EYAL ARAD - who helped plan the recent Israeli withdrawal from Gaza - will help soften its release in Israel.

Arad, who has arranged a screening in Tel Aviv for widows of the murdered Israeli athletes, "We are talking about a film that has generated a lot of interest.

"Naturally that sort of interest can entail some negative reactions as well as positive reactions."