Story perspectives

NYT Staff Question Kristof’s Israeli Prison Abuse Allegations

5/19/2026

Summary

Story summary

New York Times journalists privately questioned the sourcing of Nicholas Kristof’s graphic claims about Israeli prison abuse.
Nicholas Kristof published a May 11 opinion piece alleging sexual abuse of Palestinian detainees by Israeli prison guards, prompting denials from Israeli officials.
Staffers described the dispute as a civil war within the newspaper and expressed embarrassment over the Opinion section.
The New York Times spokesperson said the column’s accounts were corroborated, cross-referenced with research and UN testimony, and extensively fact-checked.
Israeli prison officials categorically rejected the abuse claims, prompting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to call the accusations baseless.

1 of 1

Story summary

New York Times journalists privately questioned the sourcing of Nicholas Kristof’s graphic claims about Israeli prison abuse.
Nicholas Kristof published a May 11 opinion piece alleging sexual abuse of Palestinian detainees by Israeli prison guards, prompting denials from Israeli officials.
Staffers described the dispute as a civil war within the newspaper and expressed embarrassment over the Opinion section.
The New York Times spokesperson said the column’s accounts were corroborated, cross-referenced with research and UN testimony, and extensively fact-checked.
Israeli prison officials categorically rejected the abuse claims, prompting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to call the accusations baseless.