Israel Orders Defamation Suit Against New York Times Over Kristof Rape Allegations

Nicholas Kristof published an opinion piece in The New York Times on March 25, 2025, detailing accounts from 14 Palestinian men and women who said they were sexually abused while detained by Israeli security forces. The article relied on those testimonies and said they were corroborated with other witnesses, family members, lawyers, and independent research. Israel’s officials had previously called the report a “blood libel” and said it distorted the truth. The piece appeared in the opinion section, a fact that critics have highlighted as inconsistent with how similar allegations against Israelis are treated.

Netanyahu and Saar have instructed the initiation of a defamation suit against The New York Times. Netanyahu stated Israel will not stay silent and will fight the allegations in the court of public opinion and in the court of law. The Kristof article drew on the testimonies of 14 Palestinian individuals alleging sexual abuse by Israeli forces. The announcement came three days after the article’s release, amid Netanyahu’s preparation for elections later this year.

The lawsuit raises questions about jurisdiction because a foreign government suing a U.S. media outlet must navigate American constitutional protections for press freedom. Legal experts note that if filed in a U.S. court, the case faces a high bar to succeed, given the strong precedent protecting journalistic speech. Politically, the action signals Netanyahu’s effort to counter criticism ahead of elections and to shape the narrative around alleged misconduct by security forces. The Times has stood by its reporting, saying the piece was deeply reported, fact‑checked, and reviewed by independent experts. Some analysts warn that the suit could have a chilling effect on future reporting about conflict‑related abuses, while others see it as a test of Israel’s willingness to use legal tools against foreign press.