Netanyahu Considers Suing New York Times Over Column Alleging Rape of Palestinian Prisoners

The Israeli Foreign Ministry called the piece ‘one of the most hideous and distorted lies ever published against the State of Israel in the modern press.’

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks in Jerusalem on March 19, 2026. Ronen Zvulun/Pool/AFP via Getty Images

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he is considering suing The New York Times and one of its journalists over a column that alleged Israeli soldiers raped Palestinian prisoners.

Netanyahu wrote in a May 14 post on X that he had instructed his lawyers to look into taking action against The New York Times and the piece’s author, Nicholas Kristof, an opinion columnist at the newspaper.