Monica Cooper

All About Hamas

The image of Mohammed Al Dura, a 12-year-old Palestinian boy crouched in terror behind his father as he allegedly becomes the fatal victim of Israeli bullets, has become an icon of Palestinian "martyrdom," fueling Arab hatred of and violence against Israel. But ever since the event was first reported on September 30, 2000, controversy about the authenticity of the event and its broadcast by French Public Television has flared, spawning lawsuits and appeals.