Daily Alert Archives

Who Killed Muhammad Al-Dura?

(Jerusalem Viewpoints - Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs) Amnon Lord - Muhammad Al-Dura, the poster child of the current Palestinian uprising, was not killed by IDF gunfire at Netzarim junction, according to an inquiry by the German ARD television network based on a study by Israeli physicist Nahum Shahaf. Shahaf analyzed all available unedited videotape from the area of the event, spoke with IDF soldiers and photographers who were present, and concluded: The Palestinians, in cooperation with foreign journalists, arranged a well-staged production. Talal Abu-Rahma - the man who brought the world the famous pictures showing Muhammad Al-Dura the moment he was shot - states that he never said the IDF killed Al-Dura. In the videotapes of the area in front of the Palestinian position - in the area that is supposed to be under IDF fire - one can see the audience. Close to 200 men, teenagers, and children are standing there in two or three rows, with the people in the front row sitting on the edge of the sidewalk. Passing next to them are teenagers riding on bicycles. In an area distant from the IDF position, people are posing as if they are taking cover at the time of battle, while at the same time, behind them, men and children are walking around freely and smiling, as are many TV photographers (all of whom are Palestinians), just like in Hollywood. The raw videotape shows that the Palestinian television photographers themselves were part of the events, and that by the time their edited material was received by European, American, and Israeli news editors or networks, it was already in such a format that all that was needed was to add a few anti-Israel comments. Furthermore, the father's testimony that Muhammad was hit in the back does not square with the claim that he was shot by IDF soldiers.
2002-08-15 00:00:00
Full Article