Israel threatens to sue New York Times over Palestinian prisoner abuse report

Israel threatened Thursday to sue The New York Times over a published opinion column alleging widespread sexual abuse of Palestinian detainees by Israeli forces, settlers and prison staff.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Gideon Saar jointly ordered the initiation of a defamation lawsuit against the newspaper. The New York Times rejected the legal threat, calling any claim against the column without merit.

What did the New York Times column about Palestinian prisoners allege?

The column, written by prominent opinion journalist Nicholas Kristof, described a pattern of widespread sexual violence against Palestinian detainees, committed by soldiers, settlers, Shin Bet interrogators and prison guards.

Kristof based his investigation on testimonies from 14 men and women in the Israeli-occupied West Bank who said they had been sexually assaulted by Israeli settlers or members of the security forces.

The report covered alleged abuse of men, women and children. Kristof stated there was no evidence that Israeli leaders had ordered rapes.

Why is Israel threatening to sue the New York Times?

Netanyahu and Saar's offices described the Kristof piece as "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."

The Israeli foreign ministry alleged that Kristof had based his reporting on unverified sources tied to Hamas-linked networks.

Israel also accused the paper of deliberately timing publication to undermine an independent Israeli report on Hamas sexual violence committed during its October 7, 2023 attack, which was released the same day.

How did the New York Times respond to Israel's lawsuit threat?

Spokesperson Danielle Rhoades Ha said in a statement that any legal claim over the "deeply reported opinion column" lacked merit. She described the threat as "part of a well-worn political playbook that aims to undermine independent reporting and stifle journalism that does not fit a specific narrative." The newspaper said a similar threat had been made the previous year.

What is the legal context for a defamation lawsuit in the United States?

The United States has strong constitutional protections for journalistic expression. For a libel suit to succeed, plaintiffs must prove that the information published was both purposefully untrue and published with harmful intent, a high legal bar.

President Donald Trump and his allies have nonetheless filed a number of lawsuits against media organizations, some of which have reached settlements rather than risk consequences from his administration.

Israeli forces have detained thousands of Palestinians in the West Bank since Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack, which triggered the war in Gaza. That backdrop has drawn sustained international scrutiny of detention conditions and the treatment of Palestinian prisoners.