The statement issued by Netanyahu and Gideon Saar on Thursday accused the New York Times of “one of the most hideous and distorted lies ever published against the State of Israel in the modern press”.
Israel’s foreign ministry alleged that the writer, Nicholas Kristof, had based his piece “on unverified sources tied to Hamas-linked networks”.
In response, the New York Times issued a statement saying: “The Israeli Prime Minister has threatened to file a libel lawsuit against The New York Times regarding Nicholas Kristof’s deeply reported opinion column on sexual abuse by Israel’s prison guards, soldiers, settlers and interrogators.
“This threat, similar to one made last year, is part of a well-worn political playbook that aims to undermine independent reporting and stifle journalism that does not fit a specific narrative. Any such legal claim would be without merit.”
There has been a furious reaction to the New York Times article among Israeli politicians and media.
Israel’s ambassador to the US, Yechiel Leiter, posted a video statement in which he said “the only clear crime on display here is the violation of journalistic standards by Mr Kristof and his paper”.
On Thursday, scores of Jewish protesters demonstrated outside the office of the New York Times in Manhattan, calling for Kristof to be fired.
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