IDF Hero and Al-Dura Libel Debunker Dr. Yehuda David Passes Away at 67
Dr. Yehuda David, a decorated IDF combat physician and hero who disproved the Muhammad al-Dura libel, has died after a long battle with cancer at the age of his passing.
Dr. Yehuda David, a decorated IDF veteran, renowned hand surgeon, and key figure in debunking the Muhammad al-Dura blood libel, passed away following a prolonged battle with cancer.
During the Second Lebanon War, Dr. David served as a combat physician for the Nahal Brigade's 932nd Battalion, earning a GOC Command Citation for exceptional bravery under fire. Beyond the battlefield, he achieved international prominence for exposing the falsehoods surrounding the 2000 Muhammad al-Dura incident at the outbreak of the Second Intifada, proving that the scars shown by the boy's father were actually old wounds he had personally treated years earlier after the father was attacked by Hamas.
His pursuit of truth led to a protracted legal battle when the boy's father filed a defamation lawsuit against him in France. Though initially losing in the lower court, Dr. David appealed with the backing of Israeli state officials, including Ayelet Shaked. In 2012, France's Supreme Court overturned the ruling, fully acquitting him and ruling that his statements were made in good faith and based on factual evidence. He later attempted to enter politics by running in the Jewish Home primaries, but withdrew due to his declining health.
