Judicial victory for the Jewish Community of Hebron

The Jewish Community of Hebron
May 31, 2006

Judicial victory for the Jewish Community of Hebron

"HaAretz" and "Yedioth Achronot" newspapers will print public apology to the community and pay damages of over 10,000 NIS each. The public apology will stress that the Israeli Supreme Court did not rule that the "Beit Shapira" sales documents were counterfeit.

Following the expulsion from Beit Shapira on May 7, both HaAretz and Yedioth Achronot newspapers published articles stating that the Supreme Court's decision to allow eviction from the building was based upon their ruling that the purchase documents were forged.

This statement was blatantly false. To the contrary, the court specifically stated that it could not intervene in the question as to the legality of the building's purchase or disputed claims of ownership and therefore ordered that the case be adjudicated at a lower court level.

On May 8^th Hebron's Jewish community, via attorneys Prof. Michael and Gilad Corinaldi, notified the two newspapers of a civil suit pending against them, for libeling the community and betraying journalistic ethics, thereby causing damage to those responsible for the building's purchase, and its residents. The suit demanded both an apology and financial damages.

Following negotiations between the newspapers' attorney and Prof. Corinaldi, the two sides reached an agreement whereby the newspapers would print a clarification and apology, stressing that the Supreme Court did not rule that the purchase documents were false, and would express regret at the error. HaAretz would pay the community total damages of 15,000 shekels and Yedioth Achronot, 13,000 shekels.

Community leaders expressed satisfaction at the agreement.

"We have set a precedent, and this is the central point. The media cannot print false accounts slandering residents of Judea and Samaria."

"This ruling also proves that the struggle for Beit Shapira is not over. The apologies issued by the newspapers will only be the first in a series of apologies we expect to receive concerning this issue: the police, the civil administration, and the prosecutor's office will be added to the list of those requesting our forgiveness."

"This episode is an important judicial victory, and is the first stage in our judicial fight to restore Beit Shapira to its rightful, legal owners."