Blurring opinion with international law fails survivors of sexual violence
When respected journalist Nicholas Kristof published a New York Times column alleging systemic sexual abuse of Palestinian detainees by Israeli soldiers, settlers, and prison guards, he drew necessary attention to a hidden and deeply troubling subject. Yet the column also ignited intense criticism from Israeli officials and pro‑Israel commentators, some calling it “one of the worst blood libels ever to appear in the modern press.”
As reports summarised, Kristof based his piece on conversations with 14 individuals who described mistreatment during detention. Even he conceded that “there is no evidence that Israeli leaders order rapes.”
The timing of the article, just before Israel released findings on Hamas’s sexual violence during the 7 attack, led some to suspect an effort to tarnish Israel ahead of the UN Secretary‑General’s annual ‘blacklist’, which names governments and armed groups credibly suspected of using sexual violence as a weapon of war.
That…
