NYT pushes back against legal threat from Israel PM

The New York Times on Thursday, May 14, pushed back against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s threat to file a libel lawsuit over an opinion column by Nicholas Kristof alleging widespread sexual abuse of Palestinians.

“The Prime Minister of Israel has threatened to file a libel lawsuit against The New York Times regarding Nicholas Kristof's deeply reported opinion column,” newspaper spokesperson Danielle Rhoades Ha, quoted by Israeli media, said.

“This threat, similar to one made last year, is part of a tired political playbook aimed at undermining independent reporting and stifling journalism that does not fit a specific narrative,” she added, describing any potential legal action as “baseless.”

The dispute comes as around 200 pro-Israel protesters gathered outside The New York Times headquarters on Thursday, chanting “The Times is the enemy of America,” and calling on the newspaper to retract Kristof’s article.

Earlier in the day, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar sharply criticised the column, calling it “one of the most hideous and distorted lies ever published against the State of Israel in the modern press.”

Kristof’s column includes testimonies from Palestinian men and women who describe alleged sexual violence by Israeli security personnel, including soldiers, prison guards in detention centres, and settlers in the West Bank.

The report also alleged that Israeli forces trained combat dogs to rape Palestinian prisoners on the command of their handlers.

By Tamilla Hasanova