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Last update - 05:47 30/06/2008 Court: 'Jenin, Jenin' untruthful, but does not slander soldiers By Ofra Edelman, Haaretz Correspondent Tags: Mohammed Bakri, Israel  The Petah Tikva District Court on Sunday ruled against five Israel Defense Forces reserve soldiers suing actor and director Mohammed Bakri for slander in his film "Jenin, Jenin." Bakri's cinematic description of Operation Defensive Shield in 2002 alleged that IDF soldiers had committed war crimes. Judge Michal Nadav ruled that the film did in fact slander the soldiers; however, since the slander was directed against an entire group, individuals within this group did not have the right to file suit. Advertisement Bakri told Haaretz the verdict "made me happy because my film, 'Jenin, Jenin,' was not about IDF soldiers and certainly not about the five people who brought the suit. I have nothing to do with them, they didn't appear in the film and are not mentioned it it. My film is about the soul of the resident of the refugee camp during Operation Defensive Shield, and nothing more." Bakri, who spoke with Haaretz before he read the full verdict, said he was surprised the court had agreed to try the case at all. He said the five "for some reason decided to harass me." Bakri added that he was considering countersuing the soldiers for slander because they had done "great damage to my film." Nadav stated in her verdict that Bakri had not brought even one of the many witnesses that appear in the film to be questioned about his charges against the IDF, and did not prove that the statements were backed up by reports of human rights groups, as he said they were. Nadav also said Bakri's lack of good faith was apparent in the fact that the film's English subtitles use the terms "slaughter" and "genocide" although those interviewed in the film did not actually say these words in Arabic, nor do these words appear in the Hebrew subtitles. Bakri countered the judge's charge of lack of good faith by saying that he had his whole heart in the movie's production, "and that is what I call 'in good faith.' My good faith was that I went to a destroyed place and gave people the chance to speak from their hearts... I made the film only for the hoped-for peace and against the occupation." The soldiers' attorney, Amir Tytunovich, said the outcome was the best that could be expected from a public perspective since it determined that the film had been slanderous. Tytunovich said he would consider appealing to the High Court of Justice after studying the verdict. T.A. cinema to screen 'Jenin, Jenin' on eve of director's libel trial State urges High Court to uphold ban on Bakri's film, `Jenin, Jenin' Supreme Court refuses to halt Channel One's screening of Jenin documentary Wanted: Right-wing artists Bookmark to del.icio.us   Wimbledon shocker Shahar Peer knocks out 9th-seed Safina to slide into the fourth round. Time to hit Iran Israel must destroy Iran's nuclear program within one year or risk being attacked.   1.   Bakri`s new reputation: actor and liar 07:08  |  Joe Sittizen 30/06/08   2.   He`s happy to be considered a liar 08:55  |  Alain 30/06/08   3.   Tacky Pals pamphlet propelled by Israeli media 10:26  |  Ulf 30/06/08   4.   Rewarding a Liar? 10:42  |  FOX 30/06/08   5.   `Jenin, Jenin` 11:21  |  Esther 30/06/08   6.   PALLYWOOD is alive and well.Is Al Dura? 11:35  |  PETER SM 30/06/08   7.   As true as the rest of the Left`s narrative 12:15  |  Ilan 30/06/08   8.   suicidebomb valley 12:52  |  ed 30/06/08   9.   # 5 Ester 13:12  |  MR 30/06/08   10.   Lies but not slander? Come off it 13:26  |  Realist 30/06/08   11.   Court decides about truth of a movie? 13:47  |  Robert 30/06/08   12.   #11 It`s not a movie it rather pretends to be a documentary 15:59  |  Ulf 30/06/08   13.   Israel is an APARTHEID state and so are its INSTITUITONS (4x) 17:38  |  CK Tan 30/06/08

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