The Israeli government has announced its intention to file a defamation lawsuit against The New York Times following the publication of an article detailing rape allegations by Palestinian detainees against Israeli forces. The announcement was made by the Prime Minister's Office three days after the article by columnist Nicholas Kristof appeared.

The article, based on accounts from 14 Palestinian men and women, added to a growing body of evidence of systematic sexual abuse of Palestinian detainees by Israeli forces, documented by rights groups and media. Israel had previously condemned the report as a 'blood libel' but escalated its response on Thursday, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Gideon Saar ordering the initiation of legal action.

The Israeli government called the article 'the most hideous and distorted lies ever published against the State of Israel in the modern press.' The New York Times and Kristof have defended the piece, with spokesperson Charlie Stadtlander describing it as 'deeply reported opinion journalism' and stating that accounts were corroborated with witnesses, family members, lawyers, and independent experts.

Legal experts note that if the lawsuit is filed in a US court, it would face significant hurdles due to broad constitutional protections for the media. Netanyahu stated the lawsuit aims to send a message: 'Under my leadership, Israel will not be silent. We will fight these lies in the court of public opinion and in the court of law.'

The article also cited a UN commission report that sexual violence had become 'standard operating procedure' for Israeli security forces, and a Committee to Protect Journalists report that nearly a third of Palestinian journalists detained by Israel faced sexual violence. The article included accounts of abuse by both Israeli forces and settlers.

Source: www.aljazeera.com