Nidra Poller and The Al-Dura Long Range Ballistic Myth

Nidra Poller’s Al Dura: Long Range Ballistic Myth is a remarkable comprehensive first-hand account of the development and persistence a modern day blood libel. The systematic unraveling of this lie took years to unfold and Poller was on hand for every twist and turn of the story. In her usual meticulous manner, she walks us through history as it occured, leaving each article as she wrote it at the time without the revision of hindsight. This book will be invaluable for future historians who will undoubtedly document the twenty-first century rise of antisemitism, how it was re-kindled, who lit the matches and when. The al-Dura hoax was a major factor in allowing a great many people to move slowly, almost imperceptibly, from criticism of Israeli policies toward open antisemitism of the kind we see on college campuses around the world today. Opinion is malleable and those who concocted this masterful piece of propaganda, who distributed it and who defended it when it was exposed as such, have each earned a place in the pantheon of shame. Nidra Poller makes certain this is not forgotten as the news cycle rushes on and each new day brings its own fresh hell. Let us not forget how the current antisemitic flare-up began – the al Dura story was a major log on the fire. Let us never forget who stoked it.