PrintNovember 9, 2005
French media censor their own riots
The French media were the leaders in broadcasting the Palestinian "story of the death of Mohammed Al—Dura" in 2000. The last part of that sentence is in quotes because the story spread by French media was a Palestinian propaganda ploy to portray the death of a young Palestinian boy in the Gaza Strip as being caused by Israelis.
These reports spread like wildfire around the world and helped inflame tension between the Israel and the Arab world. Mohammed Al—Dura was even portrayed on a stamp and he became an emblem of Israeli "oppression" and a rallying point to inspire homicide bombers.
The story has been subsequently widely disproved: if there was a death, it was most probably caused by Palestinian fire and there has even been doubt cast on the story that there was even a death involved—notably by the estimable Nidra Poller, who has written for AT.
The French media has been criticized as being resistant to releasing the video "evidence" of their depiction of the events and have refused to provide its employees for questioning by those doubting their version of the events. The French media released a story of doubtful validity and honesty which served as the ignition for various homicide bombs with scant regard for the consequences.
Now, in the face of nationwide protests in France itself, they choose to exercise discretion (i.e., censorship) by refusing to broadcasts reports of the worst excesses during the riots because they are concerned it might inflame people. From today's Wall Street Journal
The state—owned television channels, France 2 and France 3, have stopped reporting on the number of cars torched by rioting young immigrants every night. Do we have to exercise self—censorship, to exercise censorship? Must we show everything, explain everything? Those are the [questions] that we've faced" throughout the rioting, said Paul Nahon, the deputy director general for news at France 3.
So, the French media released inflammatory Palestinian propaganda as fact and thus stoked violence in the Middle East and elsewhere. But they choose to exercise restraint when reporting facts that might marginally worsen the image of France.
Ed Lasky 11 09 05
