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'''Nahum Shahaf''' ({{lang-he|נחום שחף}}; born June 2, 1946<ref>Israeli Census - Verified March 23, 2010</ref>) is an Israeli ] and current president Natop, an electro-optics and image enhancement company he founded.<ref name="res">{{languageicon|he|Hebrew}} </ref> He was one of the leading developers of Israel's ]s,<ref name="Lord"></ref> and received an ] award for creativity in 1997 for his work on ] transmission.<ref>: "Before getting involved in the al-Dura case, Shahaf was known mainly as an inventor. He was only the tenth person to receive a medal from the Israeli Ministry of Science, for his work on computerized means of compressing digital video transmission."</ref> He is possibly best known for his role in an October 2000 ] (IDF) investigation into the controversial shooting incident of a 12-year-old Palestinian boy, ] for which he was awarded the 2007 Abramowitz Israeli Prize for Media Criticism.<ref>{{languageicon|he|Hebrew}} </ref> '''Nahum Shahaf''' ({{lang-he|נחום שחף}}) is an Israeli ], best known for his role in an October 2000 ] (IDF) investigation surrounding the shooting of a 12-year-old Palestinian boy, ]. Prior to the investigation, Shahaf had worked with the IDF on the design of ]s, and had been known primarily as an inventor, having received an ] award for creativity in 1997 for his work on ] transmission.<ref name=Fallows>.</ref>


==Background== ==Background==
Shahaf served as an ] (IDF) ] from 1964 to 1966. He attended ] from 1970 to 1977, where he completed his ] and ] degrees in ] with ]. After graduating, he spent two years as a member of the ] development team at ] and was in charge of incorporating the CT technology into ].<ref name="cv">{{languageicon|he|Hebrew}} </ref> From 1981 to 1988, he worked at ] on ] and video instrumentation for the IDF and was among the field's leading developers.<ref name="cv" /><ref name=Fallows></ref><ref name="Lord"></ref> He then worked on attack helicopter missile systems at ] from 1989 to 1991.<ref name="cv" /> Shahaf has also served as a physicist for the optical intelligence unit of the IDF.<ref name="Lord"></ref> In 1991, he founded Natop, an electro-optics and image enhancement company.<ref name="res">{{languageicon|he|Hebrew}} </ref> Shahaf served as an ] (IDF) ] from 1964 to 1966.<ref name="cv">{{languageicon|he|Hebrew}} </ref> He attended ] from 1970 to 1977, where he earned ] and ] degrees in ].<ref name="cv" /> After graduating, he spent two years working on ] at ]. From 1981 to 1988, he worked at ] on ] for the IDF.<ref name="cv" /> He then worked on attack helicopter missile systems at ] from 1989 to 1991.<ref name="cv" /> Beginning in 1992, he worked for a company named Natop.<ref name="cv" /> Shahaf received an ] award for creativity in 1997 for his work on compressed digital video transmission.<ref name=Fallows />


According to Israeli reporter ], "Nahum Shahaf has worked in Israel's defense establishment as a physicist for the optical intelligence unit of the IDF. He has contributed much in various ways to the defense system, and was among the leading developers of pilotless light aircraft and video instrumentation. Shahaf investigated the damage done by the Iraqi missiles in 1991, and concluded that part of the damage was caused by ]s.<ref name="Lord"></ref>
Shahaf received, along with fellow scientist ], an 1997 ] Fellowship and an award for creativity in for their work on compressed digital video transmission.<ref name=Fallows>.</ref>


Shahaf describes himself as "a scientist, a physicist specialized in ballistics and the technology of filming images."<ref name="Guysen">{{dead link|date=March 2010}} ] interviews Nahum Shahaf ()</ref>
⚫ == Al-Durrah investigation==
⚫ {{main|Muhammad al-Durrah incident}}
In 2000, Shahaf approached IDF ] Major General ] and proposed an investigation of the al-Durrah shooting. Samia agreed, and on October 23, 2000, Shahaf helped to arrange a re-enactment of the shooting on an IDF shooting range, in front of a CBS '']'' camera crew. In late November 2000, at the conclusion of the inquiry, General Samia presented his findings at a press conference.<ref name="CNN">{{dead link|Date=March 2010}} AP - November 27, 2000</ref> The IDF accepted the investigations' determination that Israeli soldiers were not responsible but refused to accept the suggestion that the images may have been staged.


==Yitzhak Rabin assassination conspiracy theories==
Initial response to the investigation was critical. Israeli newspaper Haaretz and the Jerusalem Post argued that Shahaf had no ballistics experience, and Haaretz described his investigation as "dubious."<ref name=Cygielman>.</ref><ref> "media conspiracy theory ... troops could not have shot the child" The Age (Australia), 26th Oct 2007. Verified 23rd Oct 2008.</ref><ref> "the fountainhead of al-Dura conspiracy mania" Jerusalem Post, 28th May 2008. Verified 23rd Oct 2008.</ref><ref>Derfner, Larry . Shahaf "pioneered ... conspiracy theory after cutting his teeth on the Rabin assassination" Jerusalem Post, 18th June 2008. Verified 23rd Oct 2008.</ref><ref> "eccentric obsession .. also obtained "amazing material" on the murder of Yitzhak Rabin" Haaretz, 7th Oct 2007. Verified 23rd Oct 2008.</ref> In response to criticism on his credentials and experience, Shahaf responded that he is "a scientist, a physicist specialized in ballistics and the technology of filming images."<ref name="Guysen">] interviews Nahum Shahaf]<br>()</ref> Shahaf is currently suing Haaretz for libel.<ref>{{languageicon|he|Hebrew}} </ref>
{{main|Yitzhak Rabin assassination conspiracy theories}}


During the late 1990s, Shahaf participated in a campaign to prove the innocence of ], the assassin of ] ] in 1995. Although Amir had been arrested on the spot and had confessed to the killing, Shahaf asserted that he had photographic evidence that the wrong man was being held for the assassination. He blamed the assassination on a conspiracy headed by ], who took over from Rabin as Prime Minister and later became the ].<ref>{{cite news|last=O'Loughlin|first=Ed|title=Truth is sometimes caught in crossfire|url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/truth-is-sometimes-caught-in-crossfire/2007/10/05/1191091362085.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap2|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=October 6, 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite|work=Authorizing Appropriation for Fiscal Years 2002 and 2003 for the Department of State and the Broadcasting Board of Governors, and for Other Purposes: Hearings and Markup Before the Committee on International Relations, House of Representatives and the Subcommittee on International Operations and Human Rights, One Hundred Seventh Congress, First Session, February 14, February 28, March 1, and March 7, 2001 and Markup of H.R. 1646 on May 2, 2001.|author=United States Congress House of Representatives Subcommittee on International Operations and Human Rights|volume=8-16|page=192|date=2001|publisher=US G.P.O.}}</ref>
Shahaf's investigation into the incident was later supported by an external French ballistics expert and 2 investigative documentaries by German network ARD. The original "raw" footage was presented in French courts in late 2007 in the midst of a libel suit filed by France 2 against a French media critique, Phillip Karsenty, resulting in the court asserting that the original report has not been properly established. Follow up reports on the al-Durrah incident break-down into those who agree with Shahaf's main analysis, that the original news report, which asserted the death of the boy was inflicted by Israeli bullets, was faulty; and those asserting that the investigation into the matter is a "conspiracy mania". Journalist ] writes that:
<blockquote>"It now appears that the boy cannot have died in the way reported by most of the world's media and fervently believed throughout the Islamic world. Whatever happened to him, he was not shot by the Israeli soldiers who were known to be involved in the day's fighting—or so I am convinced, after spending a week in Israel talking with those examining the case."<ref name=Fallows/></blockquote>


⚫ ==Al-Durrah investigation==
===Media criticism award===
⚫ {{main|Muhammad al-Durrah incident}}
Shahaf received the ''2007 Abramowitz Israeli Prize for Media Criticism'' from '']'' association ({{lang-he|האגודה לזכות הציבור לדעת}}),<ref>{{languageicon|he|Hebrew}} </ref> for what the awarding panel described as "revealing the truth behind news fabrications" in relation to the Al-Durrah incident.<ref></ref><ref>{{languageicon|he|Hebrew}} {{dead link|date=March 2010}} זוכי פרס ביקורת התקשורת: שחף וקרבצ'יק</ref><ref>{{languageicon|he|Hebrew}} פרסים מטעם האגודה לזכות הציבור לדעת ליבגניה קרבצ'יק, נחום שחף וגיא רולניק</ref>
Shortly after the al-Durrah shooting in September 2000, for which the ] had initially admitted responsibility, Shahaf approached IDF ] head Major General ]. Shahaf was already well known to Samia, having previously done work for the IDF.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Cordesman|first1=Anthony|last2=Moravitz|first2=Jennifer|title=The Israeli-Palestinian war: escalating to nowhere|page=372|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|year=2005|isbn=9780275987589}}</ref> Shahaf proposed that he and Joseph Doriel, an engineer with whom Shahaf had previously collaborated during work on ], should undertake an investigation into the shooting on behalf of Samia.<ref name=Cygielman /> Samia agreed, and on October 23, 2000, Shahaf helped to arrange a re-enactment of the shooting on an IDF shooting range, in front of a CBS '']'' camera crew. In late November 2000, at the conclusion of the inquiry, Samia presented his findings at a press conference, explaining that the findings were "based on measurements, bullet angles and evidence that the Palestinian boy was hit by a volley of gunfire while Israeli soldiers were firing only single shots."<ref name="CNN">{{dead link|Date=March 2010}} AP - November 27, 2000</ref>

The investigation met with a mixed response. Doriel had been dismissed by Samia during the course of the investigation and when the results were announced, it was strongly criticised by some in the Israeli media. The Israeli newspapers ''Haaretz'' and the ''Jerusalem Post'' argued that Shahaf had no ballistics experience and ''Haaretz'' described his investigation as "dubious."<ref name=Cygielman>.</ref> His previous involvement in raising doubts about the identity of Rabin's killer became the subject of controversy.<ref>Schwartz, Adi (2007). "", ''Haaretz'', November 8, 2007, accessed January 24, 2010.</ref> Shahaf, however, pursued the case and devoted years to the matter,<ref name="Levy">Levy, Gideon. . ''Haaretz'', October 7, 2007, accessed October 23, 2008.</ref> having "spent months painstakingly collecting, wheedling, even buying footage from reluctant cameramen, and then spliced the pieces together in rough temporal order in an attempt to make an unbroken film of the day."<ref>''The other war: Israelis, Palestinians, and the struggle for media supremacy'', Stephanie Gutmann, Encounter Books, 2005, p. 75.</ref> He has promoted a theory that al-Durrah was not killed by the IDF and may still be alive.<ref>{{cite news|last=Temple-Raston|first=Dina|title=Engineer Casts Doubt on Veracity of Claims That Israelis Killed Palestinian Boy in 2000|url=http://www.nysun.com/foreign/engineer-casts-doubt-on-veracity-of-claims-that/10581/|work=The New York Sun|date=March 15, 2005}}</ref> Following ''Haaretz's'' reporting of his work on the al-Durrah case, which editor ] criticised as an "eccentic obsession" in an October 2007 article,<ref name="Levy" /> Shahaf filed a ] lawsuit against the newspaper in December 2007 charging that ''Haaretz's'' coverage had "led investors to flee" from one of his inventions and demanding 400 million ] (US $103 million) in damages.<ref>{{cite news|title=400 million lawsuit against Haaretz|url=http://www.nrg.co.il/online/4/ART1/667/290.html|work=NRG|language=Hebrew|date=December 5, 2007}}</ref>


==Notes== ==Notes==
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==References== ==References==
* Cygielman, Anat (2000). , ''Haaretz'', November 7, 2000, accessed March 22, 2010. *Cygielman, Anat (2000). , ''Haaretz'', November 7, 2000, accessed March 22, 2010.
*] (2003). , ''The Atlantic'', June 2003, accessed March 21, 2010. *] (2003). , ''The Atlantic'', June 2003, accessed March 21, 2010.


==External websites== ==External websites==
⚫ *

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⚫ *{{languageicon|he|Hebrew}}
*{{languageicon|he|Hebrew}} *{{languageicon|he|Hebrew}}
⚫ *{{languageicon|he|Hebrew}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Shahaf, Nahum}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Shahaf, Nahum}}
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Revision as of 23:23, 23 March 2010

Nahum Shahaf (Template:Lang-he) is an Israeli physicist, best known for his role in an October 2000 Israel Defense Forces (IDF) investigation surrounding the shooting of a 12-year-old Palestinian boy, Muhammad al-Durrah. Prior to the investigation, Shahaf had worked with the IDF on the design of unmanned aerial vehicles, and had been known primarily as an inventor, having received an Israeli Ministry of Science award for creativity in 1997 for his work on compressed digital video transmission.

Background

Shahaf served as an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) paratrooper from 1964 to 1966. He attended Bar-Ilan University from 1970 to 1977, where he earned Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in Physics. After graduating, he spent two years working on computerized tomography at Elscint. From 1981 to 1988, he worked at Tadiran on unmanned aerial vehicles for the IDF. He then worked on attack helicopter missile systems at Israel Aerospace Industries from 1989 to 1991. Beginning in 1992, he worked for a company named Natop. Shahaf received an Israeli Ministry of Science award for creativity in 1997 for his work on compressed digital video transmission.

According to Israeli reporter Amnon Lord, "Nahum Shahaf has worked in Israel's defense establishment as a physicist for the optical intelligence unit of the IDF. He has contributed much in various ways to the defense system, and was among the leading developers of pilotless light aircraft and video instrumentation. Shahaf investigated the damage done by the Iraqi missiles in 1991, and concluded that part of the damage was caused by Patriot missiles.

Shahaf describes himself as "a scientist, a physicist specialized in ballistics and the technology of filming images."

Yitzhak Rabin assassination conspiracy theories

Main article: Yitzhak Rabin assassination conspiracy theories

During the late 1990s, Shahaf participated in a campaign to prove the innocence of Yigal Amir, the assassin of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin in 1995. Although Amir had been arrested on the spot and had confessed to the killing, Shahaf asserted that he had photographic evidence that the wrong man was being held for the assassination. He blamed the assassination on a conspiracy headed by Shimon Peres, who took over from Rabin as Prime Minister and later became the President of Israel.

Al-Durrah investigation

Main article: Muhammad al-Durrah incident

Shortly after the al-Durrah shooting in September 2000, for which the Israel Defence Force had initially admitted responsibility, Shahaf approached IDF Southern Command head Major General Yom Tov Samia. Shahaf was already well known to Samia, having previously done work for the IDF. Shahaf proposed that he and Joseph Doriel, an engineer with whom Shahaf had previously collaborated during work on conspiracy theories concerning the killing of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, should undertake an investigation into the shooting on behalf of Samia. Samia agreed, and on October 23, 2000, Shahaf helped to arrange a re-enactment of the shooting on an IDF shooting range, in front of a CBS 60 Minutes camera crew. In late November 2000, at the conclusion of the inquiry, Samia presented his findings at a press conference, explaining that the findings were "based on measurements, bullet angles and evidence that the Palestinian boy was hit by a volley of gunfire while Israeli soldiers were firing only single shots."

The investigation met with a mixed response. Doriel had been dismissed by Samia during the course of the investigation and when the results were announced, it was strongly criticised by some in the Israeli media. The Israeli newspapers Haaretz and the Jerusalem Post argued that Shahaf had no ballistics experience and Haaretz described his investigation as "dubious." His previous involvement in raising doubts about the identity of Rabin's killer became the subject of controversy. Shahaf, however, pursued the case and devoted years to the matter, having "spent months painstakingly collecting, wheedling, even buying footage from reluctant cameramen, and then spliced the pieces together in rough temporal order in an attempt to make an unbroken film of the day." He has promoted a theory that al-Durrah was not killed by the IDF and may still be alive. Following Haaretz's reporting of his work on the al-Durrah case, which editor Gideon Levy criticised as an "eccentic obsession" in an October 2007 article, Shahaf filed a defamation lawsuit against the newspaper in December 2007 charging that Haaretz's coverage had "led investors to flee" from one of his inventions and demanding 400 million shekels (US $103 million) in damages.

Notes

  1. ^ Fallows 2003.
  2. ^ Template:Languageicon נחום שחף - קורות חיים
  3. Who Killed Muhammad Al-Dura? Blood Libel-- Model 2000 Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs Amnon Lord 15 July 2002
  4. The Mohamad A-Dura affair: a gross imposture? MENA interviews Nahum Shahaf (Copy)
  5. O'Loughlin, Ed (October 6, 2007). "Truth is sometimes caught in crossfire". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  6. United States Congress House of Representatives Subcommittee on International Operations and Human Rights (2001), Authorizing Appropriation for Fiscal Years 2002 and 2003 for the Department of State and the Broadcasting Board of Governors, and for Other Purposes: Hearings and Markup Before the Committee on International Relations, House of Representatives and the Subcommittee on International Operations and Human Rights, One Hundred Seventh Congress, First Session, February 14, February 28, March 1, and March 7, 2001 and Markup of H.R. 1646 on May 2, 2001., vol. 8–16, US G.P.O., p. 192 {{citation}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  7. Cordesman, Anthony; Moravitz, Jennifer (2005). The Israeli-Palestinian war: escalating to nowhere. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 372. ISBN 9780275987589.
  8. ^ Cygielman 2000.
  9. Israel claims Palestinian gunmen may have shot boy in high-profile killing AP - November 27, 2000
  10. Schwartz, Adi (2007). "In the footsteps of the al-Dura controversy", Haaretz, November 8, 2007, accessed January 24, 2010.
  11. ^ Levy, Gideon. Mohammed al-Dura lives on. Haaretz, October 7, 2007, accessed October 23, 2008.
  12. The other war: Israelis, Palestinians, and the struggle for media supremacy, Stephanie Gutmann, Encounter Books, 2005, p. 75.
  13. Temple-Raston, Dina (March 15, 2005). "Engineer Casts Doubt on Veracity of Claims That Israelis Killed Palestinian Boy in 2000". The New York Sun.
  14. "400 million lawsuit against Haaretz". NRG (in Hebrew). December 5, 2007.

References

External websites

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