Israel to Sue New York Times Over Report on Treatment of Palestinian Detainees

Israeli officials have been instructed to prepare a defamation lawsuit against The New York Times over its reporting on the treatment of Palestinian detainees. The officials described the report as one of the most hideous and distorted lies ever published on Israel.

The decision was announced as the foreign minister held up a copy of The New York Times during a United Nations Security Council meeting in New York City on August 5, 2025. Officials said the lawsuit would target what they characterized as false accusations of sexual abuse involving Israeli forces and detainees.

The New York Times article included accounts from Palestinians who said they were subjected to sexual abuse while in custody. One claim referenced the use of a dog in an alleged assault. Israeli officials have rejected those accounts and moved to pursue legal action in response.

The foreign minister's presentation of the newspaper at the United Nations occurred months before the current instruction to prepare litigation. The lawsuit preparation was reported on May 14, 2026. Officials have not yet filed the suit or specified which court would hear the case.

The action would seek to address what the government views as defamatory content.