The Independent Admits Robert Fisk Story Was False
August 4, 2011 10:51 by Simon Plosker
Robert Fisk: Justice Served?
The following correction has been published in The Independent relating to an article by Robert Fisk on the Arab Spring:
In his Friday essay on 15 April 2011 (“The Arab Awakening – a long time coming”) Robert Fisk quoted from an order said to have been issued by the Saudi Minister of the Interior, HRH Prince Nayef bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud on 11 March, in which he alleged that Prince Nayef ordered his security forces to show no mercy and to use live rounds on unarmed demonstrators.
Although the essay was published in good faith, we now accept that the “Order” in question is in fact a forgery, and that Prince Nayef did not issue any such order. We apologise sincerely to Prince Nayef for the damage and embarrassment which our reporting of it has caused him.
But what did it take for The Independent and Fisk to back down? The BBC takes up the story that The Independent failed to elaborate on:
Saudi Arabia’s interior minister has accepted undisclosed damages over an article in The Independent newspaper accusing him of ordering police to shoot and kill unarmed protesters.
The newspaper accepted the “order” it reported was in fact a fake.
Its publishers, Independent Print Ltd, also offered “sincere apologies” to Prince Nayef Bin Abdul-Aziz al-Saud at London’s High Court.
Prince Nayef has said he will give the “substantial” damages to charity. …
In the article Mr Fisk said The Independent was in possession of the “extraordinary and outrageous” order from Prince Nayef and said it was “worthy of investigation by the International Criminal Court at The Hague”.
The allegation was not put to Prince Nayef, who is also second deputy prime minister and has been interior minister for more than 40 years, before publication, said Mr Earle [representing the prince].
It was reproduced in its entirety on various websites and paraphrased in numerous news stories published by leading Arabic language media, he said.
So let’s be clear – accusations of horrendous crimes and the spreading of a libel throughout the Internet, later found to be false. Sound familiar?
In October 2006, Fisk was given the front page of The Independent to spread the libel that Israel had used uranium-based weapons in southern Lebanon during the 2006 war. Like the Saudi order, this accusation was also proven to be false, in this case only days after the story was published.
Yet, we are still waiting for a retraction. The story remains online with no retraction from Fisk and The Independent. It appears that such is their arrogance and lack of journalistic integrity, it takes the bottomless pit of Saudi money and legal action to warrant a correction and apology.
The apology marks the second time in recent weeks that The Independent has had to backtrack on the work of one of its “top” – and most anti-Israel – writers.
With columnist Johann Hari stripped of a prestigious journalism prize and suspended from the paper pending an investigation into plagiarism, perhaps it is time that The Independent takes a long hard self-examination of its ethics and those of some of its staff.
Is this another symptom of the malaise currently plaguing the British press as the phone hacking scandal continues to make headlines concerning some UK newspapers?
There is something rotten in The Independent today. We’ve known about it for years, but now the general public is seeing the paper’s credibility collapse in a haze of lies and plagiarism.
It seems that Israel may not be the only victim of a British press out of control. But it might be the only one that won’t get an apology.
beni
1:53 pm
Aug 04, 2011
I am pleased to see the Israeli side gaining momentum. Strange that Israel is not blamed for the Arab Spring, Where would they learn about democracy if not from Israel?
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Adrian
3:16 pm
Aug 04, 2011
WAIT. We may yet see Mossad blamed for the forged accusation in the first place!
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Michael Podgoetsky
1:58 pm
Aug 04, 2011
It seems to me that Independent employ low life prostitutes like Robert Fisk, to stir rubbish and hope smell will dissipate.Gee it stinks around Independent with garbage the caliber of Robert Fisk at the employ.
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Dean
1:59 pm
Aug 04, 2011
Yes, sue the SOB if he is slandering and libeling. Why is self-defense and activism such a foreign concept to people? Fisk’s diatribes reach millions of people and we all have the same rights and freedoms as Fisk to publish what we want in our defense or to damage his hate-filled career. If he wants to show off his Antisemitism to the world, then the gloves are off – ruin his reputation and put him through the same pain as he madly works so hard to inflict on others.
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jacob
2:01 pm
Aug 04, 2011
Just one question :
Has the Israeli govmt. dragged into court THE INDEPENDENT as this Saudi prince did
and if so, has it pursued the law suit ??
I dare bet the answer to both questions are NO and therefore, anyone can accuse it of
the worst crimes, as Israel’s PR is as useless as tits on a bulll
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Jerry
2:25 pm
Aug 04, 2011
Jacob, a government or a nation cannot sue for libel, even in England, like an individual can.
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Gordon Ross
2:28 pm
Aug 04, 2011
The difference is that the Saudi prince is an individual, whereas the Israeli government is a body or group of people, and as far as I am aware there is no legal remedy in the UK for group libel.
Perhaps some action against Fisk for his blatant anti-Semitism could be formulated under UK anti-racist legislation, ‘though I doubt that the authorities here would be willing to countenance it. The British would be much more likely to consider action against anti-Muslim activity.
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Mike56
3:19 pm
Aug 04, 2011
Why cannot an Israeli individual sue the scum?
Let’s say some pilot who gets vilified while in Europe, because of the “Independent’s” libels?
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Brent Pudsey
2:20 pm
Aug 04, 2011
It is good that Fisk has admitted to his falsehoods in journalism. Perhaps this will cause more honesty to flourish in the media
Hot debate. What do you think?
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jeff
2:35 pm
Aug 04, 2011
i totally agree with jacob. for years i have been screaming that israel should sue the independent, bbc, gardian for slandering and libeling the government of israel. only when they do this will we finally see the retractions and apologies. an individual can sue on behalf of the israeli government. are you listening Mr. Dershowitz?
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Tony
2:38 pm
Aug 04, 2011
I guess Honestreporting deserves more than a clap on the back,, ,The British Medias have for too long; allowed their “Pseudo journalists ” to demonize Israel and Write some of the most BIASED reporting in newspaper history.
The Independant needs to be taught a lesson, and the one way of dong it. is by exposing again and again their LIES and Blatent discrimination when it comes to Biased reportings on Israel,,,,
The fact that they “PAYED UP ,,with an Appology Just goes to show that They do not even Have the courtesy to reply to Honestreportings demands for Explications re their UNPROVED FINDINGS,about the supposed use of”Uranium” used by Israel during the Lebanon war in 2006, and this is, in itself ,Proof that The Independant is COMPLICE to their “Pseudo Journalists “reportings.
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Alexander Kalinin
2:43 pm
Aug 04, 2011
Does anyone really thinks that justice rests on morality or good will. If Israel chooses to let itself be screwed, why blame the Independent???
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Leonie
2:47 pm
Aug 04, 2011
Isn’t the real secret behind the “uranium bombs” that they cleverly and deviously help get us the gentile blood essential for our Passover matzas? Did Fisk omit that detail accidentally or expect his readers to work it out for themselves?
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Gus Zoref
2:51 pm
Aug 04, 2011
This jerk Fisk is the worst anti-semitic there is because he has inroads to a big publication. His retoric is widely distributed and read. Israel MUST condone and defend itself in all possible Media to coneract this idiot. We cannot let it go unanswered otherwise people not hearing the opposition will believe fisk. In olden times he would be drawn and quartered and deserve this kind of treatment today.
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Jeffrey
2:51 pm
Aug 04, 2011
The hacking of telephones by NI reporters is unforgiveable, but at least the stories that emerged were true. When is something going to be done about the far bigger scandal of journalists and editors who deliberately write fiction or publicise propaganda and present it as properly researched fact? This undermines a free society and makes a mockery of freedom of the press.
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Nigel Blumenthal
2:58 pm
Aug 04, 2011
Isn’t it interesting how, when they really want to, the Indie can delete all sorts of information from the internet, despite claims to the contrary (when it comes to Israel, that is). I followed your link to the original article, but found no reference to the words that formed the basis for the correction. Then I did a Google search for the original article, and it seems all traces of it, together with the lies, have totally vanished from the ether. At least, I can’t find them.
So, Fisk, can we expect the same in respect of your other lies regarding Israel?
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David Guy
4:42 pm
Aug 04, 2011
The Independent probably removed all traces as part of an out of court settlement. To keep them online would be to continue the libel. Israel hasn’t sued.
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Eddie Langsman
3:06 pm
Aug 04, 2011
Time that the affluent UK Jewish community stepped up to the plate and began to take legal
action against such news rags as The Independand the Guardian and its respective contributers who write and publish lies and distortion. The old story that “if you tell a lie often enough people will believe its true” applies. A fund could be set up by the UK Board of Guardians subscribed to by the community to meet those costs.
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Tony
3:07 pm
Aug 04, 2011
If there was a SUBJECT concerning Uraniam,, Would’nt there be Complaints today about it from the Lebanese??? Would’nt there be yet Another resolution condemning Israel,agreed upon by the UN? As far as I know Uranium does’nt just “Evaporate”,,, Would’nt there still be traces of it today? and if there were, Why is’nt the world in Uproar???
Because The story is A Lie,,,as is the story about the Mossad agents during the Christ Church Earthquake,, And the Snakes sent into Shar mal Sheik,and the sharks on the shores of Gaza, and the thousands of rats sent by israel thru the tunnels in Gaza to Egypt ,,to spy,, Yes folks Say Anything ,Create a rumour ,Anything,, As long as it involves Israel, People will gob it.
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Roland
3:21 pm
Aug 04, 2011
Another case of irresponsible reporting. Israel has the lion’s share of bad reporting by bare-faced lying and corrupt journalists who are paid by Israel’s enemies to distort news and fan hatred and animosity and what have you.
Little can be done about it and only the people, if they are intelligent enough, should be able the recognise the good from the bad.
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LeDroit
3:23 pm
Aug 04, 2011
This is very serious stuff and it seems they have no concern or sense of responsibility for the lies they spew in print. Recourse against such a crime should be much more severe than just money changing hands. Mr. Fisk should lose his right to remain above ground.
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HaroldT
3:59 pm
Aug 04, 2011
When will the Israeli Govt. realise the importance of fighting false propaganda?
They should have taken legal action against the French tv that commissioned the false El-Dura libel, that did Israel so much damadge – but they did NOTHING!
The same with Fisk and Reuters.
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baba ganush
4:00 pm
Aug 04, 2011
I just dont get it: There are so many Jewish lawyers. Some of them are even pro-Israel. Why cant at least one of them help “Honest reporting” (who’re doing an AMAZING job) to sue these newspapers or journalists?
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Salah Yakoub
4:24 pm
Aug 04, 2011
Many years ago I communicated with Mr Robert Fisk at the time we released 1500terrorists for the five British hostages who were kidnapped by the PFLP and who were incarcerated for many years and what did we get in return — the British government allowed these very same terrorists organizations to obtain British court orders to arrest our leaders when they come to U.K. for political discussions. None of their ( The British Government Labour or Conservative ) given promises were adhered to to rescind this up to now. These very same terrorists have bombed Britain, US, FRance, Germany, Spain, Italy, Bali. I believe that Robert Fisk is married to an Arab woman and must not give a true report on any matter concerning matters between us and the Arabs because if he does report the truth we might have to release a further 1500 terrorists for his incarceration.
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dg
4:44 pm
Aug 04, 2011
Peeps like Fisk are political activists who use journalism to spread their ideologies by any means necessary… glad his articles have been fisked – that’s right – many people use his name as a verb that means “to prove a story hasn’t an ounce of truth.”
YES! Sue him and The Independent! When you win it’ll be taken by his ilk as yet another bit of “proof” that the Jews won’t allow “free” speech by which they mean free libelous speech. BTW the reason why libel is a civil law matter and not a criminal law matter is precisely to guard the freest possible speech and adjudicate libel in courts removed from the coercive power of the state. Look around the world and the tyrannies can be seen clearly by whether or not such a separation exists.
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