Robert S. Rifkind, Who Defended a Libel Suit by Ariel Sharon, Dies at 88
Briefly

Robert S. Rifkind, an influential attorney, died on March 12 at age 88 from myasthenia gravis complications. He notably defended Time magazine against Ariel Sharon's $50 million libel suit stemming from a 1983 article discussing the Sabra and Shatila massacre. The article suggested complicity by Sharon, yet a jury determined that while Time misrepresented his actions, it lacked actual malice needed for a libel claim. His defense contributed to the significant implications of the case, which resulted in Sharon's resignation following a commission's findings on Israeli involvement in the massacre.
Robert S. Rifkind, who passed away at 88, was instrumental in defending Time magazine against Ariel Sharon's $50 million libel suit regarding the Sabra and Shatila massacre.
Despite a jury finding Time magazine had misrepresented Sharon's role in the massacre, it ruled that the reporting did not meet the legal threshold for libel.
Read at www.nytimes.com
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