Update on Questionable CNN/Channel 4 Video

In response to increased skepticism and questioning by bloggers about Ashraf Masharawi’s video of his younger brother’s death and burial, CNN has responded with a defensive article. Although it is headlined “Gaza video genuine, journalists say”, it turns out it is only one journalist who “says”, and that journalist is, according to the article, “the team’s employer”–Paul Martin.

The only “proof of authenticity” that Martin attempts to bring is that he knows and trusts Ashraf:

He’s a man of enormous integrity and would never get involved with any sort of manipulation of images, let alone when the person dying is his own brother,” Martin said. “I know the whole family. I know them very well. … [Mashharawi] is upset and angry that anyone would think of him having done anything like this. … This is ridiculous. He’s independent.

Martin gives no explanation as to why the film was introduced as having been “captured on film by [Ashraf]” when Ashraf himself is featured in the scenes. He does not attampt to explain how another cameraman so conveniently happened to be on the scene with his equipment in order to film Ashraf finding his younger brother, burying him, showing roof damage, etc. Nor does he attempt to explain how Ashraf, in his time of grief, took the time to edit the tape and to create a cohesive storyline.There is no attempt to explain the lack of correlation between the damage shown on the roof and that which a “missile” would make.

Here is Martin’s attempt to explain the obviously staged resucitation scene run by Norwegian emergency room specialist Mads Gilbert in the hospital.

Responding to accusations that the resuscitation efforts of Mashharawi’s brother appeared inauthentic, Martin said that, based on his years of reporting from Gaza, doctors often go through such efforts even with little hope that a patient can be saved.

While doctors might continue to give CPR for several more minutes even after they believe there is no hope, in this scene there clearly are no “efforts” being made to resucitate the child. Does Martin mean to suggest that because the doctors gave up on the patient, they decided to pretend to be doing CPR for the sake of the camera? Isn’t that unethical?

If a 12-year-old boy lost his life as a result of being sent to play on the roof during an aerial bombardment, it is even further testimony to the cynical use of children during wartime. If a dead child’s corpse is being used as a prop in a re-enacted scene, it is disgraceful. The lack of disclosure and misrepresentation of the video by CNN and Channel 4 violates journalistic ethics, making these news organizations party to the cynical use of children as pawns in Hamas’ propaganda campaign.