The images of Mohammed al-Durra hiding from Israeli fire behind his father’s back in the early days of the second intifada shocked the whole world. For many Arabs and Muslims, the boy became the symbol of Palestinian suffering. Yet it was nothing but a hoax; it has been proven that Israeli soldiers could not have killed the boy. France 2 distributed the dramatic coverage free of charge to the global media. What turned these images into a modern blood-libel against Israel was the voice-over of Charles Enderlin, the France 2 correspondent in Jerusalem. Even though Enderlin was not in Gaza when the alleged killing happened, he told viewers with great confidence that the “shooting comes from the Israeli position.”
Wall Street Journal Europe, 26Nov04