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May 21, 2008 Victory for Truth in Al-Dura CaseThere are reports coming in from France that a French Court has overturned a libel verdict against Philippe Karsenty who has courageously challenged the veracity of French journalist's Charles Enderlin's filmed account of a battle that occurred in the Gaza Strip between Israeli troops and Palestinian terrorists. The Palestinian version was that Israeli troops had killed a young boy, Muhammad al-Dura who was seen on the film crouching behind his father. There was a break in the film and then an image of the boy slumped over was seen. Palestinians and their supporters claimed that the Israeli troops had killed al-Dura; the cause became a cause celebre in the Arab world and played a role in stoking terrorism against Israel. In the heat of the events, the Israeli government accepted responsibility. However, after more investigation of the matter-looking at the placement of the Israeli and Palestinians, it became clear that the Israelis were too quick in accepting blame. Extended analysis made it clearer that the young boy was most probably killed by the Palestinians during the battle. Karsenty had claimed that Enderlin and the Palestinian cameraman had faked the footage to place the blame on Israel. There were gaps in the film that was broadcast throughout the world, missing film that had been edited. Enderlin sued for libel and in the first round in France won. Karsenty appealed that verdict. The issue received a far more intensive analysis during the appeal. Today, that libel verdict was overturned. Enderlin's mendacity cost a lot of lives. Victory on appeal would seemingly corroborate claims that the Enderlin footage was, at best, not accurate and may indeed have been faked. French TV and Enderlin himself have refused to release the footage that was edited from their final version. This is a major victory for not only Karsenty for but for all those who believe that the media should be held accountable for accurately and honestly recording and reporting on the events of the day. We have seen the photofakery during the Hezbollah-Israel war we have seen the al-Dura case; we have seen many other examples that all too often the media (like the terrorists) play by their own rules. The french court just declared that sometimes the rules of law do triumph in the end. |
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One small step for man. One giant leap for mankind.
Posted by: Ron Kean | May 21, 2008 11:04 AM
Lies are opportunistic. Truth must be persistent. It is an astonishing development that after all these years of transparent frauds like this that one would be publicly deflated. That this could occur in France (France!) is about as hopeful an event as one could hope for other than the election of a pro-American leader. Vive Sarko!
Posted by: megapotamus | May 21, 2008 11:24 AM
The issue is not so much winning the battle in France against the Media. It's winning it here in the US. Trying to get the obviously biased media to tell the truth with objectivety has so far been a losing battle, especially since no one has ever held them accountable for their actions. I'm not saying that the bloggers have not done a good job, but most of the journalists they have caught are still spewing out their obvious crap.
Posted by: Richard Daugherty | May 21, 2008 02:06 PM
"Enderlin's mendacity cost a lot of lives."
It was also Israel's stupidity of quickly taking the blame, instead of quickly blaming the Palestinians, that cost a lot of lives.
Posted by: Berry | May 21, 2008 02:11 PM
I am pleased to see this, and yet I wonder how many media outlets will report on it. You can bet it will not recieve the same level of coverage that the original "story" did.
As such, I am affraid the damage has been done. In the Old City of Jerusalem it is still not uncommon to see photos of the "dead" Al-Dura boy accompanied by anti-Israel slogans.
The trend goes on: inaccurate reporting, contrived stories, Israel raked over the coals, and then once the truth comes out (thuogh it rarely does) it is mostly ignored.
Posted by: MattheJerusalem | May 21, 2008 02:28 PM
Vive Sarko, huh, Megapotamus?
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/05/20/politics/animal/main4110659.shtml
Yes, it's true, Sarko IS talking to Hamas members. He has also refused to allow Hezbollah to be added to the EU's FTO list, which addition, by Hezbollah's own admission, would cripple the organisation.
Sarkozy is THE most anti-American French leader ever.
Posted by: Zbigniew Mazurak | May 21, 2008 02:53 PM