Israel to sue NY Times over op-ed alleging widespread rape of Palestinian prisoners
The Times of Israel • • world
Key Points:
- Israel plans to sue The New York Times over an op-ed by Nicholas Kristof alleging widespread sexual abuse and rape of Palestinian prisoners by Israeli soldiers and prison guards.
- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar condemned the article as a "hideous and distorted lie," accusing it of defaming Israeli soldiers and equating them with Hamas terrorists.
- The op-ed included testimonies of severe abuse, including forced nudity, groping, and rape by trained dogs, claims also promoted by the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor, which Israel criticizes for ties to Hamas.
- Israeli officials rejected the allegations as false, labeling the article a "blood libel" and criticizing the timing of its publication before an independent Israeli report on Hamas's sexual violence was released.
- Netanyahu pledged to pursue legal action and combat the claims both legally and publicly, asserting that truth will ultimately prevail.