Judge Esther Hayut, the President of the Supreme Court, firmly declined the appeal by Muhammad Bakri, the filmmaker behind the controversial documentary "Jenin, Jenin." The ruling reaffirms the earlier decision by the Central District Court and the Supreme Court that mandates Bakri to pay Lt. Col. Nissim Magnaji a sum of 175,000 NIS for damages. Additionally, the court has ordered the halting of any further distribution of the film.
"Jenin, Jenin" claims to showcase firsthand accounts from inhabitants of the Jenin refugee camp, chronicling events that transpired during Operation Defensive Shield. The film levels grave war crime accusations against the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers. Over time, the movie has faced numerous petitions and legal challenges, leading the Supreme Court to remark that it portrayed "a fabricated narrative under the pretense of a documentary." However, the film found its way to public viewings and platforms like YouTube, even after such statements.
1/פהק ×××× ×©×××× ××Ŗ ××××× ×××Ø× ×פ×צ×××× ×¢× ×'× ×× ×'× ×× ××× ×××× ×× ×ש×× ×¢ ×××××Ø×× × ×××Ø×× ××¢××× ××Ŗ. ×××××Ŗ ××××Ŗ ש×× ××Ŗ×Ŗ ×¢××× ×××× × ××”×£ ×ש×× ×¢×Ŗ ×¢×× ×¤×××Ŗ. ××"פ: ×××××× ×©××× ×××××Ŗ ××©× ××× ×××פש ×××××× ××ש××× ×¢× ××Ŗ× ××¢× ×× ×פש×Ø ××Ŗ×××¢, ××¢×”×ק×× ××Ŗ ×××× ××× ××ש×Ø×× ×××Ŗ×Ø ××× ×צ×Ø××Ŗ. ×Ø××× ×××ā¦
ā Netta Seroussi (@netta_se) August 22, 2023
Lt. Col. Magnaji's legal representation during the hearing was provided by attorneys Navot Tel Tzur and Tal Shapira. Reflecting on the ruling, soldiers, officers, and bereaved families associated with the Jenin battle expressed their sentiments. They declared, "After an exhaustive 21-year-long journey, we are hopeful that today marks the definitive refutation of Bakri's film as incendiary, derogatory, and defamatory towards the officers and soldiers involved in the battle during Operation Defensive Shield."
The group further voiced their hopes, emphasizing, "We sincerely hope that all pertinent entities in our nation, from the Prime Minister's Office, the Ministry of Defense, and the Ministries of the Interior, Culture, and Sports, to the IDF and beyond, have drawn significant lessons from our strenuous journey. Our aspiration is that future soldiers, reservists, and grieving families don't have to single-handedly defend their honor."
× ×©×××Ŗ ××¢×××× ××××Ŗ ×××Ŗ× ××§×©× ××××× × ××”×£ ש×××ש ××××× ×××Ø× ×פהק ××× × ×©× ×××Ŗ ×××©×¤× ××¢×××× ×××× 23.11.2022 ש××× ××Ŗ ×¢×Ø×¢××Ø× ×©× ×××קש ā ××צ×Ø ××”×Ø× "×'× ×× ×'× ××" ā ×× ×××¢ ××Ŗ×××¢×Ŗ ×ש×× ××Ø×¢ ש××××©× × ××× ×××Ŗק××× ×¢× ××× ×××Ŗ ×××©×¤× ×××××× ××Ø××-×××.
ā ×××ׄ שפ××Ø× (@amotzsh) August 21, 2023
××××Ŗ ××××× ××Ŗ ×××Ø× ×××צ×××Ŗ ××”××× ×©× 20 ×××£ ש×.
Earlier in the year, the Supreme Court issued an opinion emphasizing the moral, public, and legal obligations of both the State of Israel and the Government's Legal Adviser. The statement asserted their duty to safeguard the rights and reputations of the IDF's soldiers and troops, particularly when they face unfounded and false allegations arising from their combat service. The court underscored the necessity to consistently reinforce a lucid message: the State of Israel will not tolerate remarks that egregiously deviate from protected speech. Instead, the nation will steadfastly support its soldiers and commanders, unequivocally opposing such misleading narratives.
