Israeli Government to Sue NY Times Over Story Alleging Its Guards Are Raping Prisoners

"Following the publication by Nicholas Kristof in The New York Times of one of the most hideous and distorted lies ever published against the State of Israel in the modern press, which also received the backing of the newspaper, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) May 14, 2026 In the article, published as an opinion piece under the headline The Silence That Meets the Rape of Palestinians, Kristof wrote of accounts by several individuals, including one detainee who alleged he had been sexually abused in an area where other prisoners had suffered similar treatment, claiming he found other people's vomit, blood and broken teeth crushed into his skin."

"The column also included allegations that another prisoner was penetrated by a dog while in Israeli custody. The article sparked widespread backlash, including from the Israeli Foreign Ministry, which initially called the story one of the worst blood libels ever to appear in the modern press while calling the allegations baseless and trashing Kristof as a propagandist. Today, the @nytimes chose to publish one of the worst blood libels ever to appear in the modern press."

"In an unfathomable inversion of reality, and through an endless stream of baseless lies, propagandist Nicholas Kristof turns the victim into the accused. Israel whose Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) May 11, 2026 In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered preparations for a defamation lawsuit against The New York Times after the paper published a column alleging brutal sexual abuse of Palestinians held in Israeli detention facilities."

Israel’s government condemned allegations published in an opinion column claiming brutal sexual abuse of Palestinians held in Israeli detention facilities. The government called the claims hideous, distorted lies and announced legal action over the opinion piece by Nicholas Kristof. The column described accounts from detainees, including one alleging sexual abuse in an area where other prisoners were harmed, with graphic details involving vomit, blood, and broken teeth. It also alleged that another prisoner was penetrated by a dog while in custody. The allegations triggered backlash, including statements from the Israeli Foreign Ministry describing the story as a blood libel and calling the claims baseless.

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