The Mohammed al-Dura Hoax

Most readers are familiar by now with the case of Mohammed al-Dura, a Palestinian boy who was allegedly killed by IDF gunfire during the Second Intifada in the fall of 2000 in the Gaza Strip. The incident was videotaped by the TV network France 2 and spread all over the world, becoming an iconic image of martyrdom among Muslims and a rallying-point for the Palestinian cause.

Careful investigation by experts later made the al-Dura case notorious as an incident that was obviously staged. The conclusion that the boy was killed by Palestinian bullets — if in fact he was killed at all — was inescapable. The whole business was a consummate example of faux atrocities caught on videotape, which collectively comprise a whole new industry know as “Pallywood”.

Despite the overwhelming evidence against the authenticity of the al-Dura death video, France 2 never backed down from its position, and even brought suit against Philippe Karsenty, the media expert who wrote extensively on the blatant hoax. Mr. Karsenty was at first convicted, but his case was overturned on appeal, and now he is free to write about Mohammed al-Dura as he sees fit.

Unfortunately, a meme as powerful as this one — especially when it reflects badly on Israel — is harder to overturn, no matter how compelling the contrary evidence. The al-Dura hoax is still widely believed, not just in the Muslim world, but also in the salons of Europe’s anti-Zionist bien-pensants.

However, there’s good news from Germany: a new documentary demonstrates conclusively that the death of Mohammed al-Dura was a hoax. Here’s what Philippe Karsenty said in a recent email to his supporters:

Dear friends,

I’m writing to inform you of a new documentary by the German public TV station ARD as well as unprecedented support from the Israeli minister of Foreign Affairs.

The German public TV, ARD, broadcast, on March 4, 2009, a documentary which confirms that the news report, narrated by Charles Enderlin and broadcast by France 2 on September 30, 2000, is a fraud.

Here is the evidence revealed, and confirmed, by this documentary:

• Thanks to a biometric analysis of the faces, it has been proven that the boy who was filmed by France 2 is not the boy presented at the Gaza morgue and buried later. The eyebrows and the lips are very different.
  
• The German TV used the lip-reading technique to read the father’s lips. They discovered that Jamal al Dura gave instructions to the people who were behind France 2’s cameraman during the filming of the scene.
  
• The boy filmed by France 2 moves a red piece of cloth down his body for no specific reason.
  
• In France 2’s news report, there is no blood — neither on Mohammed nor on Jamal al Dura’s body, whereas the two were supposed to have received 15 bullets all together.
  
• The boy shown at the funeral as Mohammed al Dura arrived at the hospital before 10am, whereas France 2’s news report was filmed after 2:30pm.

German media outlets widely covered the ARD documentary. Specifically, the prestigious Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung published two pieces about the film.

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In order to read a press review about all this, click here.

During my recent speaking tour in Israel, I met many Israeli officials, as well as many members of the coming Netanyahu administration.

Their reaction was very positive: “The al Dura story has to be solved once and for all and pretty soon”.

Though he had not been very encouraging after France 2’s defeat, I met the spokesperson of the Israeli minister of Foreign Affairs, Ygal Palmor.

The meeting was warm and friendly.

For the first time, Ygal Palmor had access to most of the documentation gathered about the al Dura story.

After our meeting, Palmor said that he was “very impressed by the remarkable work achieved” where he found “no mistakes”.

Nevertheless, Palmor stated that his minister doesn’t intend to sue France 2 because “it’s not a habit, nor part of diplomacy”.

Nevertheless, Mr Palmor authorized the publication of Israel’s minister of Foreign Affairs’ major change of attitude about the al Dura story which “played a major role in the demonization of the State of Israel.”

Next actions scheduled

• In order to present the most recent information available and to answer questions from journalists, I’ll hold a press conference on May 31st in Paris where the most important parts of the German documentary will be screened. In order to attend this press conference, please send your contact info at: confpresse@m-r.fr
  
• Screenings will soon be organized in France and all over Europe in order to present the evidence of the al Dura story that is sinking France 2. If you would like to be invited, please send your complete contact info to: presentations@m-r.fr
  
• DVDs of the German documentary, with explanations, will soon be sent to French and European members of parliament.

Please, spread this message as much as you can.

Merci et à bientôt,
Philippe Karsenty

Those of you who are closer to Paris than I am should make a note of the date and plan to attend the press conference.

The al-Dura hoax is an updated version of the ancient Blood Libel against the Jews. It’s important to remember that variations of it are being manufactured, recorded, and propagated almost every day. The “Palestinian martyr” videos and photos are used to inflame Arab sentiment against Israel even further.

There’s nothing we can do about the Muslim world — they will not easily be dissuaded from their belief in these incidents, no matter the evidence — but the West is another matter. There are many people still sitting on the fence who can be persuaded by carefully compiled factual reporting.

So, to recapitulate Mr. Karsenty’s words: spread the message.