A French court has ruled against Philippe Karsenty in his case with France2 Television, on the Mohammed al-Dura affair:
A French television company yesterday won a libel case over accusations that it faked a report into the killing of a Palestinian boy whose death in 2000 became a symbol of the uprising known as the second intifada.
A court in Paris ordered Philippe Karsenty, the director of the Media Ratings website, to pay France 2 and its Israel correspondent, Charles Enderlin, symbolic damages of 1 [Euro] each.
“Hopefully, this decision will end a campaign of defamation that is particularly dangerous because it affects those with a duty to inform the public,” Benedicte Amblard, a lawyer for France 2, said after the ruling.
Mr Karsenty, who was also fined 1,000 (£670) and told to pay legal costs of 3,000, said: “It is a very sombre day for France. We are going to appeal.”
Media Ratings accused France2 of using staged footage in a report on the death of Mohammed al-Durra, 12 , which accused Israeli troops of shooting the boy as he took cover with his father during a gun battle between Israelis and Palestinians.
More at PM, plus some details from Richard Landes.
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