In an article that appeared in December 2005, the French journalist Michel Gurfinkiel asked: "Is Freedom of Speech under Threat in France?"  Nearly one year on, and following a Parisian court's ruling in the first Al-Dura defamation case, there is no longer room for doubt. For a recap of the Al-Dura/France2 affair and an analysis of the judgment and its implications, see my new article on WorldPoliticsWatch, "France: the Al-Dura Case and the End of Freedom of Speech".