Netanyahu and Israel threaten to sue The New York Times - Poynter

"In it, Kristof writes about allegations of widespread rape of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. He wrote that "in wrenching interviews, Palestinians have recounted to me a pattern of widespread Israeli sexual violence against men, women and even children - by soldiers, settlers, interrogators in the Shin Bet internal security agency and, above all, prison guards.""

"It should be noted that Kristof also wrote, "There is no evidence that Israeli leaders order rapes. But in recent years they have built a security apparatus where sexual violence has become, as a United Nations report put it last year, one of Israel's 'standard operating procedures' and 'a major element in the ill treatment of Palestinians.'""

"Israel's Foreign Ministry initially denounced the column, writing, "The New York Times chose to publish one of the worst blood libels ever to appear in the modern press.""

"Netanyahu put out this statement: "Today I instructed my legal advisers to consider the harshest legal action against The New York Times and Nicholas Kristof. They defamed the soldiers of Israel and perpetuated a blood libel about rape, trying to create a false symmetry between the genocidal terrorists of Hamas and Israel's valiant soldiers. Under my leadership, Israel will not be silent. We will fight these lies in the court of public opinion and in the court of law. Truth will prevail.""

Nicholas Kristof wrote a New York Times column describing allegations of widespread sexual violence against Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. He reported accounts of rape involving soldiers, settlers, Shin Bet interrogators, and prison guards, while also stating there was no evidence that Israeli leaders ordered rapes. He characterized Israel’s security apparatus as enabling sexual violence and cited a United Nations report describing it as standard operating procedure and a major element of ill treatment. Israel’s foreign ministry denounced the column as a blood libel. Netanyahu later instructed legal advisers to consider the harshest action against the newspaper and Kristof, asserting defamation and promising to fight in public opinion and in court.

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