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The image of 12-year-old Mohammed al-Dura and his father that sparked the affair in 2000. (AP)
Last update - 21:02 21/05/2008
French court: Claim that Al-Dura tape doctored isn`t libelous
By Reuters
Tags: France 2, Israel, defamation 

A French appeals court on Wednesday overturned a libel verdict won by France 2 television over a report about the killing of a Palestinian boy in 2000.

The Paris court ruled in favor of media critic Philippe Karsenty, who called into question the veracity of the report, but it also said that it did not rule out that journalists at France 2 had acted professionally.

Karsenty, head of an online media commentary site, had appealed a 2006 decision which found libelous his statement that the station's Israel correspondent had orchestrated images which later became a symbol for Palestinian militants.
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In February, Karsenty presented judges with new evidence including a ballistics report and footage from other sources, which he said proved 12-year-old Mohammed al-Durra's death had been staged.

The court said in its ruling the new footage "did not allow to rule out the opinion of (France 2) professionals," but it also rejected claims by state prosecutor Antoine Bartoli that the new evidence was "neither complete nor serious."

Francis Szpiner, France 2's lead lawyer, said he was disappointed with the decision but pointed to nuances in the ruling and said his clients would take the case to France's highest appeals court.

"One cannot make the ruling say what it did not - because the court states that Karsenty did not provide proof of his allegations," he said.

The full text of the ruling was not immediately released by the court.

The France 2 report accused Israeli troops of shooting the boy and his father as they took cover during a skirmish between Israeli and Palestinian forces in the early days of the uprising that became known as the Second Intifada.

In February, the court saw footage of a terrified father and son crouching along a wall as bullets strike around them. The tape was filmed in the Gaza Strip during violence that followed the collapse of peace negotiations between Israel and Palestinians.

The images were shown around the world and the boy was widely seen as a martyr in Arab countries. The Israeli army initially apologized but later said its own investigation proved Palestinian, not Israeli fire, had killed Mohammed.

After receiving the ruling, Karsenty called it a victory for civil society and said he would continue to fight French media outlets which he said misreported the story.

The French public sector station has stood behind the correspondent and cameraman who made the report on Sept. 30, 2000.

Related articles:
  • French court examines al-Dura footage
  • IDF demands French footage of 2000 shooting of Palestinian boy
  • French court orders release of video of Palestinian boy's death
  • Independent expert: IDF bullets didn't kill Mohammed al-Dura
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      1.   Is the responsible court a zionist outpost? 20:00  |  Allon 21/05/08
      2.   It was a hoax - the entire thing was theatre 20:16  |  David 21/05/08
      3.   Remeber that Pres. Chirac welcomed Zimbabwe President 20:23  |  Haham me Bat Yam 21/05/08
      4.   Allon: that is excellent satire 20:32  |  Ilan 21/05/08
      5.   Just an Israeli may believe Al-Dura killed by Pals! 20:51  |  Jana 21/05/08
      6.   Media Outlets Caught Faking Stories Must Be Banned 20:52  |  Straight Talk 21/05/08
      7.   Palestinians killing for propaganda 20:57  |  Rightster 21/05/08
      8.   PALLYWOOD exposed 21:03  |  Chaim 21/05/08
      9.   Muhammad Al Darra = Dreyfuss Affair 21:06  |  Gimpel the Fool 21/05/08
      10.   It`s a piece of theatre that supported libels of Israel 21:07  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 21/05/08
      11.   Putting the case in the court was a waste of time! 21:11  |  Roxana from IRAN 21/05/08
      12.   Typical France 2 22:16  |  Rose 21/05/08
      13.   A hoax and a sham, from start to finish 22:19  |  Raymond in DC 21/05/08
      14.   How much else was faked? 22:53  |  Realist 21/05/08
      15.   Roxana from IRAN 22:55  |  Elihu 21/05/08
      16.   The whole Pali world is a hoax . 23:18  |  TOMY 21/05/08
      17.   Elihu # 12 23:23  |  Philippe 21/05/08
      18.   @5, chain, carcentry is not ger, he is jewish. 23:30  |  vladimir 21/05/08
      19.   @5, chain, carcentry is not ger, he is jewish. 23:30  |  vladimir 21/05/08
      20.   At least we know that Roxana won`t change her `mind` 23:59  |  x-ray 21/05/08
      21.   To Roxana from Iran 00:09  |  Rustam from Iran 22/05/08
      22.   All is the fake: palestinian people, occupation, 00:47  |  17 22/05/08
      23.   # 10 Roxana of Iran....if it didn`t happen 01:05  |  Lynn 22/05/08
      24.   We may be certain that both Al Durah`s 01:09  |  * BEN JABO 22/05/08
      25.   what happens now, 01:21  |  Mel Brooks 22/05/08
      26.   Roxana in Iran 01:28  |  Roxy in 22/05/08
      27.   Haaretz Quote " The Israeli army initially apologized but later 01:54  |  Joseph . E 22/05/08
      28.   #10 Roxana Kalak: You Only Seem To Know What Your Government ... 01:54  |  Lavi 22/05/08
      29.   Al-Dura tape doctored 02:00  |  Tammy 22/05/08
      30.   Dhimmi EU Opinion is Invalid : Shaped by Fake Images 02:04  |  Joseph . E 22/05/08
      31.   Liars and Fakers caught on tape, truth denied at last revealed 02:19  |  Doc Holliday:1st try 22/05/08
      32.   Chaim # 7 02:31  |  Philippe 22/05/08
      33.   Thank you French Naivette. Too little too late and insincere 02:36  |  JJ 22/05/08
      34.   The boy raised his head and opened his eyes! 08:03  |  Tal 22/05/08
      35.   JJ #33 08:24  |  Philippe 22/05/08
      36.   Honest question 09:31  |  Guido 22/05/08
      37.   Lost in translation 09:37  |  sirius 22/05/08
      38.   Roxy in 10:57  |  Roxana from IRAN 22/05/08
      39.   State of Denial 12:44  |  Hussein 22/05/08
      40.   Roxana in Niqab and Bahai`s fate 13:32  |  Genuine Tosefta 22/05/08
      41.   Pals send their babes to combat w/ suicide strap bombs 14:09  |  petra 22/05/08
      42.   # 9 your right!!!!! 14:43  |  petra 22/05/08
      43.   Chaim, Karsenty is a Jew, A Sepharad 14:47  |  Almosnino 22/05/08
      44.   Rustam 15:35  |  Roxana from IRAN 22/05/08
      45.   Lavi joon I always like your posts! You sound very cute & lovely 15:58  |  Roxana from IRAN 22/05/08
      46.   Peace - hahahahahaha! 18:00  |  Marci Peters 22/05/08
      47.   re #22 `All is the fake...` 21:08  |  Colin Wright 22/05/08
      48.   it doesn`t really matter! 23:00  |  Jasir 22/05/08
      49.   Jasir - how smart is that? 00:09  |  ChanahS 23/05/08
      50.   #48 doesn`t really matter? 06:06  |  MaryRose 23/05/08
      51.   Thanks Doc Holliday 06:08  |  MaryRose 23/05/08
      52.   #39 Hussein 13:55  |  Bob 23/05/08
      53.   hey roxy in IRAn 16:55  |  ross 23/05/08
      54.   ross: "americans at least don`t take people hostage .. 20:39  |  reader 23/05/08
      55.   Roxana 21:59  |  Greg 23/05/08
      56.   Just a thought! 08:12  |  Peace in the ME 25/05/08
      57.   Al-Dura is dead despite that people can say it is`t. 17:24  |  Kevin Brunstien 25/05/08
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