Wikipedia:Mediation Cabal/Cases/2008-06-17 Muhammad al-Durrah

Request details
The subject of the article was a Palestinian boy reported to have been killed by Israeli soldiers in 2000. There is a theory that the entire event was a hoax, staged by Palestinians as an example of the so-called "Pallywood" effect. The hoax theory was the subject of a libel case in France in which a judgment was recently issued and is being appealed.

What's going on?
The editors of the article can not agree on how to incorporate the libel case itself as well as the resulting media coverage. There are serious disagreements about how to weigh the information as well as a dispute about the hoax theory and WP:FRINGE.

The talk page has become something of a shoving match for some users and the atmosphere is quite unpleasant at the moment. Elonka has been providing administrator assistance for a week or so and that has somewhat calmed the situation.

The issue is further complicated because it is subject to editing restrictions which resulted from the Palestine-Israel arbitration decision. Elonka has placed several conditions for editing on the talk page including a "no revert" rule. Several of the most active users have had partial bans for violations.

What would you like to change about that?
I would like to restore civil discussion. It seems that all of the editors agree that the hoax theory deserves some mention. I'd like to see the editors consider options which are acceptable to them but more generous to the other users positions. As well I'd also like for this to be a venue where editors who are restricted from the actual talk page can still engage in productive dialogue.

Mediator notes

 * Case submitted. JGGardiner (talk) 08:56, 17 June 2008 (UTC)
 * I'm going to look this over and see if I want to take it. Wizardman  00:31, 24 June 2008 (UTC)
 * I'll take the case, do my best to try and get something going. Wizardman  18:43, 28 June 2008 (UTC)

Administrative notes
I've closed this since most of the discussion was going on at the article talk page, plus it seemed like the parties' confidenc had dwindled on this side. Wizardman 14:49, 4 August 2008 (UTC)