Israel supporters rally in Manhattan, condemning Kristof’s allegations as dangerous blood libel against Israeli soldiers.
Around 200 Jewish demonstrators and pro-Israel supporters gathered outside The New York Times headquarters in Manhattan on Thursday, protesting a controversial column by Nicholas Kristof that accused Israel of widespread sexual abuse of Arab prisoners, including shocking allegations involving trained dogs.
Protesters chanted “New York Times, shame on you” and “We will not be silent,” while holding signs reading “Antizionism gets Jews killed” and “J’accuse,” invoking the Dreyfus affair, when Jewish French army officer Alfred Dreyfus was falsely accused of treason in the 19th century.
The outrage erupted after Kristof published an opinion piece claiming severe abuse inside Israeli prisons. Critics say the article relied heavily on anonymous testimony and questionable activist sources, including groups accused by Israel supporters of spreading anti-Israel conspiracy claims and unverified allegations.
Israel’s government responded sharply, announcing plans to pursue legal action against The New York Times over the column. The Foreign Ministry condemned the article as a deeply distorted attack on the State of Israel and said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar had instructed officials to initiate a defamation lawsuit.
Netanyahu accused the newspaper and Kristof of defaming Israeli soldiers and reviving what he described as a modern blood libel. He said the column attempted to create a false moral comparison between Hamas terrorists and Israel’s soldiers, vowing that Israel would fight the claims both publicly and legally.
The protest reflected growing anger among Jewish communities who argue that inflammatory media narratives against Israel endanger Jews worldwide and distort the reality of Israel’s battle against terror.
