The Mohammed Dura video raised its head at a hearing with France 2 TV's new president, Remy Pflimlin. There's no way to tell if the winds of change at France 2 will result in an apology 10 years after the fact, but credit Senator Jean-Pierre Plancade for not letting the station off the hook.
It's significant that the issue isn't fading away. Pajamas Media quotes Sen. Plancade's question and Pflimlin's response:
Mr. President, you talked about trust, independence, rigor and accuracy. I really care about these words. Your appointment comes at a time when each and every profession should show its deontology and ethics which are essential values on which we shouldn’t mitigate. The French public TV should be irreproachable and exemplary.
This is why I’d like to talk to you about an affair which is so important to me, which has been lasting for much too long, and which concerns France 2.
I’d like to talk to you about the so-called death of Mohammed al-Dura, who according to this news report, was killed by an Israeli bullet.
After France 2 aired this news report came a suspicion that French public TV broadcast a fake news report; suspicion confirmed by the fact that France 2 didn’t succeed when the channel sued one of our fellow citizens who accused France 2 of having aired, let me quote him, “a pure and simple staged scene.”
I recently watched a documentary coming from the German public TV, ARD — “The Kid, the Death, and the Truth” — which also proves that France 2 aired a fake news report.
Let me remind you that this news report triggered the second Intifada, incited Muslims all over the world; that squares are dedicated to the child and that postage stamps have been printed with the picture of Mohammed al-Dura. The American journalist Daniel Pearl was even beheaded to avenge Mohammed al-Dura’s death.
Recently, a book of the French philosopher Pierre-André Taguieff has been published in a prestigious book house which also claims that France 2’s news report was a hoax, and he was not sued for defamation.
I think it is high time to raise this suspicion over France 2 which has probably breached the code of ethics of the French public TV.
Therefore, I’d like to know, Mr. President, what are the steps you intend to take to regain confidence and reveal the truth on this matter? I take advantage of our meeting to give you Taguieff’s book and the DVD of the German public TV.
Pflimlin's unfortunate response didn't surprise me.
Of course, I’ll look at this story.
Is it conceivable that France 2 might just apologize for the Dura video?
And if it does, what value do you think it will have 10 years later?
