In the past, The New York Times was considered one of the symbols of free journalism in the world. The newspaper built a reputation for credibility, fact-checking, and public responsibility. However, in recent years, and especially since the October 7, 2023, terrorist attacks and the war against Hamas, it appears that large parts of the international media have lost both their professional and moral compass. Instead of investigative and responsible journalism, we are increasingly witnessing political propaganda wrapped in dramatic headlines.
The latest article published by the Times against Israel crossed an especially dangerous red line. The report, by Nicholas Kristof, included severe and false accusations against IDF soldiers and the State of Israel, including claims of rape and sexual violence against Palestinian women, children, and men, as well as horrifying allegations involving “trained rape dogs.”
These are not ordinary claims within the framework of political criticism or international debate over the war. They amount to the creation of a demonic and monstrous image of Israel and its soldiers, one chillingly reminiscent of the blood libels spread against Jews in Europe for centuries.
When a newspaper with such enormous global influence publishes accusations of this kind without evidence, it not only harms the State of Israel – it endangers Jews around the world. At a time when antisemitism is surging on university campuses in the United States, on the streets of Europe, and across social media, such reporting immediately becomes a weapon in the hands of those who hate Israel and the Jewish people. Within hours, headlines become slogans at violent demonstrations; inflammatory social media posts appear; and there are calls for boycotts, hatred, and even physical violence against Jews.
Particularly troubling is the foundation on which the article relied. According to responses and investigations published afterward, one of the main sources cited by the newspaper was an organization calling itself the European Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor. The group is headed by Rami Abdu, a controversial figure whose ties to senior Hamas officials have previously been documented.
If this was indeed a central source for such serious allegations, it represents a stunning journalistic failure. Serious journalism is supposed to verify sources, cross-check testimony, and carefully examine political and ideological interests. When a media outlet relies on people associated with a murderous terrorist organization, without clearly disclosing this to readers, it ceases to function as a journalistic institution and becomes a propaganda mouthpiece.
This is the great danger of biased media. It does not merely report reality. It creates an alternative reality. In this reality, Israel is always guilty, even when it is brutally attacked. Hamas is often portrayed as merely “one side in the conflict,” rather than as a terrorist organization responsible for one of the worst massacres against Jews since the Holocaust. At the same time, IDF soldiers fighting an organization that uses children and civilians as human shields are portrayed as inhuman killers.
Bigger problem then one article
The problem extends far beyond a single article. It reflects a dangerous process within sections of the Western media, where political ideology is gradually replacing factual truth. In the name of “human rights,” “progressivism,” or “anti-colonialism,” a moral distortion is sometimes created in which the Middle East’s only democracy is judged by impossible standards, while terrorist organizations receive understanding and, at times, even indirect legitimacy.
There is a vast difference between legitimate criticism and systematic demonization based on monstrous accusations. When an international newspaper spreads such severe allegations without solid evidence while relying on sources linked to Hamas, this is not journalism. It is antisemitic bullying disguised as investigative reporting.
In the face of such an attack, the State of Israel cannot be satisfied with condemnations and spokesperson statements alone. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar were right to take off the gloves and file a massive defamation lawsuit against The New York Times over the enormous damage caused to Israel and the Jewish people. The damage is reputational, diplomatic, moral, and security-related on a massive scale.
When a globally influential newspaper publishes such grave accusations against the Jewish state while using antisemitism disguised as anti-Israel rhetoric, there must be consequences.
A legal claim worth billions of dollars would send a sharp and unmistakable message: Modern blood libels against Israel can no longer be spread without accountability. Just as corporations and individuals file massive lawsuits against defamation and lies, so too must the State of Israel defend its name and its citizens.
Israel’s struggle today is not taking place only on the battlefield in Gaza or against Iran and its proxies. It is also a battle over the truth. In an era in which an edited video, a selective image, or an unverified “testimony” can become a global headline within minutes, the responsibility of the media is greater than ever.
The moment a respected newspaper abandons fact-checking in favor of a political agenda, it ceases to be a reliable source of information. And the moment journalism becomes a tool for defaming Jews and the State of Israel through modern blood libels, it is no longer free media. It is antisemitic bullying.
The author is the CEO of Radios 100FM, honorary consul and deputy dean of the consular diplomatic corps, president of the Israel Radio Communications Association, and a former Army Radio monitor and NBC television correspondent.