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Israeli officials are preparing to file a lawsuit New York Times Charged with defamation over a column documenting the rape and sexual assault of Palestinians in government detention facilities.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry said in a Post
the times Netanyahu added: “You defamed Israel’s soldiers and committed a bloody rape libel, in an attempt to create a false parallel between Hamas terrorists who commit genocide and Israel’s brave soldiers.”
The saga that preceded the legal threat began on Monday when the newspaper published an opinion article by Nicholas Kristof in which 14 men and women alleged they had been subjected to sexual violence at the hands of Israeli military forces and prison guards. “The Palestinians interviewed recounted different types of violations other than rape,” the story stated. “Many of them reported that they often had their genitals removed or were beaten in the testicles. Portable metal detectors were used to scan between the men’s bare legs, and their genitals were smashed; some men had to amputate their testicles after the beatings.” The report also cites several surveys that confirm allegations of sexual violence.
After publication, the Israeli Foreign Ministry accused The Times of timing the article to undermine a government report published the next day on alleged sexual violence against hostages in Gaza during the October 2023 Hamas attack.
On Thursday, Netanyahu said he had directed his legal advisors “to consider taking the harshest legal action” against times. It is unknown where and when a lawsuit will be filed, if at all.
Last year, the prime minister threatened to sue the newspaper over its coverage of the hunger crisis in Gaza. “I’m actually looking into whether any country could file a lawsuit New York Times“And I’m looking into it now, because I think it’s such clear defamation,” he said in an interview on Fox News. I mean, you put up a picture of a child that’s supposed to represent all these kids who are supposed to be starving, but they put up this picture of a kid with cerebral palsy.
After the threat, the newspaper placed an editor’s note in the story stating that the malnourished child also had “pre-existing health problems.” “Attempts to threaten independent media outlets that provide vital information and are accountable to the public are unfortunately an increasingly common playbook, but journalists continue to report from Gaza for The Times, with courage, sensitivity and personal risk, so readers can see firsthand the consequences of war,” she said in a statement at the time.
If a lawsuit is filed, the newspaper can look at subpoenas, detention records and officials’ testimony.
