05/12/2026
Nick Kristof's article on Israel's systematic use of sexual violence on Palestinian prisoners and detainees.
This was a hard article to write and it's a hard article to read, but I hope you'll do so. I've been reporting in the West Bank on r**e and other sexual violence of Palestinian male and female prisoners by Israeli authorities, and I find that it's widespread. As one Israeli lawyer told me, the authorities grant "permission to r**e." (The Israeli authorities deny that). The article is now published.
The assault victims were warned not to give speak of what they endured -- they were sometimes told they would be killed or r**ed if they gave interviews -- but they reluctantly did so. I'm very grateful to them for their courage. One man described being r**ed three times in a single day in Israeli prison, the third time after he tried to protest. A young woman said the guards would come in at the beginning of each shift and strip her naked and abuse her. Another reported that she was shown photos of herself being r**ed and warned they would be released unless she cooperated with Israeli intelligence.
Look, whatever our position on the Middle East, we should be able to agree on being anti-r**e. Sexual assaults were horrific when Israeli women were targeted on Oct. 7, and they're equally horrific when Israeli authorities use them against Palestinians day after day after day. We should be able to find common ground in opposing r**e.
Here's a gift link to the article; I hope you'll consider sharing: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/11/opinion/israel-palestinians-sexual-violence.html?unlocked_article_code=1.hlA.kfgZ.ZMP5yQa7u9k7&smid=url-share
