Israel Threatens to Sue New York Times Over Kristof Column

Israel plans to sue The New York Times after it published an opinion column about alleged sexual violence against Palestinian detainees. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar described the piece as “one of the most hideous and distorted lies ever published against the State of Israel in the modern press”.

The column’s author, Nicholas Kristof, alleged that Palestinian detainees had faced humiliation, sexual violence or rape at the hands of soldiers, settlers, members of the Shin Bet security service and prison guards. The piece was based on Palestinian testimonies and reports by human rights organizations.

Netanyahu said he had instructed his legal advisers to consider “the harshest legal action” against both the newspaper and Kristof. He accused the column of damaging the reputation of Israeli soldiers and creating a “false symmetry” between Hamas and the Israeli army.

Israeli prison authorities dismissed the accusations as false and baseless. The Foreign Ministry also criticized the use of sources from the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor.

The New York Times said the threatened lawsuit had no legal basis and amounted to an attempt to undermine independent reporting. The newspaper said it stood by the column.

(times of israel, bak)