Israel says it will sue New York Times over article on sexual abuse of Palestinian prisoners
Summary
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar have threatened to sue the New York Times for defamation after the paper published an article alleging sexual abuse of Palestinian prisoners by Israeli forces. The New York Times stands by its reporting, which involved multiple interviews and extensive fact-checking, while legal experts say a lawsuit by Israel against a U.S. news organization is unlikely to succeed.Key Facts
- The article by Nicholas Kristof in the New York Times detailed claims of sexual abuse, including rape, of Palestinian prisoners by Israeli soldiers and others.
- Israel’s government described the article as false and defamatory and plans to sue the newspaper.
- The New York Times says it carefully checked the facts and used multiple sources to confirm the allegations.
- Experts say it is unlikely a U.S. court would allow Israel to sue the New York Times for defamation because of First Amendment protections.
- Kristof’s article said he interviewed 14 victims and also verified information with lawyers, human rights groups, and independent experts.
- The article acknowledged no evidence that Israeli leaders ordered the abuse and included Israeli officials’ denials.
- Other human rights groups have reported similar claims of sexual abuse in Israeli detention.
- The issue has stirred intense debate and backlash from supporters of Israel.
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