French court overturns Israeli claims about Palestinian child death

A French court has overturned a claim filed by Zionist extremists about the video which shows the killing of the Palestinian child, Mohamed al-Durra, by an Israeli soldier in Gaza.

The Islamic Movement in Gaza, Hamas, expressed its appreciation of the decision and said: “It discloses the falseness and delusion that Israel uses in changing facts.”

Mohammed al-Durra was shot dead on 30 September, 2000, while hiding behind his father outside the former Israeli settlement of Netzarim which, for decades, divided the Gaza Strip in two halves.

The video, shot by Palestinian cameraman Talal Abu-Rahmeh who worked for French TV channel 2 showed the child and his father being repeatedly shot at by Israeli soldiers stationed at a watchtower. It also showed the father screaming at the soldier saying that the bullets had hit his son.

The soldier continued shooting at the two until the child was killed and the father suffered severe injuries and fell unconscious. The video was shown widely by Western media at the time.

An Israeli report published last month expressed doubt over whether Mohamed al-Durrah and his father were really hurt by the Israelis. However, a French court has proved that the Israeli claims published in the report are false.

Hamas spokesman, Fawzi Barhoum, appreciated the decision made by the French court and called for Israeli crimes to be taken to national and international courts in order to seek justice for bereaved Palestinians and punish the Zionist oppressors.