VERDICT AGAINST KARSENTY IS A DARK DAY FOR DEMOCRACY AND TRUTH IN FRANCE

Phillipe Karsenty had the following to say to the Algemeiner about the conviction against him:

“I am very disappointed because I thought that there was a chance that the justice system would find me not guilty of defamation,” he said. “I don’t have the verdict, the written verdict, the argument of the judges, but the verdict was postponed twice so they only found me guilty on the third time,” he said, implying that there is more at play in the case than meets the eye.

There most certainly is. He shouldn't have overestimated the judges, no matter where they stand in private.

“I think it is a dark day for French democracy and I think it is a dark day for the truth,” Karsenty declared of the verdict, adding optimistically, “and the truth will prevail in the end, I don’t know when, I don’t know how, but I know that it will prevail.”

Karsenty sharply criticized the French justice system and those that participated in what he calls the “covering up” of a “blood libel.”

“I see that some people on the other side are very happy because they are saying it is a day of honor for journalism. It is a day of shame for journalism, and I think it is a day of shame for French democracy which is covering up from the bottom, to each and every level a blood libel,” he said.

“All the journalists aligned behind Enderlin,” he said of Charles Enderlin, the France 2 Jerusalem bureau chief, whom he accused of fabricating parts of the segment, “Sarkozy granted him the Legion of Honor.”

Karsenty came across as disappointed but also hopeful, and said that his work on the case was not over.

“I don’t see where the light comes from,” he continued “but if I would say something I would say ‘gam zu letovah’ (also this is for the best.)”

“I will try and expose this lie of course,” he promised, adding “the thing is I am not sure which way I want to expose it, but I want to expose it of course.”

Asked about his current legal options following the court decision Karsenty mulled: “I can do exactly as France 2 did, go to the French supreme court. But I am not sure that I want to go there firstly because I think that the French judicial system is not fair.”

“Last time I won this case, and even after I won this case the court of appeals didn’t admit the truth, so the judicial way is not the way to have the truth revealed, but was only a tool to force France 2 to bring their argumentation,” he said.

“But it was not useful in getting them to admit the truth,” he concluded.

It most definitely is shame for journalism, especially if we recall how the mainstream press in France flatly refused to cover the large demonstration against Islamofascism there.

As for Sarkozy, if he had nothing against giving a reward to Enderlin that he didn't deserve, that only puts his respect for Israel under a question mark. Again, depending on the perspective, it's not entirely a bad thing that he lost the election, since he didn't make as convincing an effort as he could have to curb Islamofascism and dhimmitude in France.

If Karsenty intends to appeal the verdict, that's good, but as he signals, that can't be the only thing he should do. He also has to find the right ways to spread this information to the wider public, since it's an issue that should concern one and all. The libel law that says the burden of proof lies solely upon the defendent in a lawsuit has to be challenged and abolished, otherwise it'll be impossible to fight Islamofacism effectively.