Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government plans to file a defamation lawsuit against The New York Times over an opinion column by Nicholas Kristof alleging sexual abuse of Palestinian prisoners.

The column cites interviews with 14 people who reported abuse by Israeli settlers or security forces, though not all claims were fully corroborated, and the Times has defended the reporting as extensively fact-checked and corroborated where possible.

Netanyahu’s office strongly condemned the article and called it false and distorted, while stating that legal action has been authorized.

Legal experts note that under U.S. defamation law, public figures must prove “actual malice,” making such a case difficult, especially when the claims involve opinion and broad reporting, CBS News has reported.

It is still unclear where any lawsuit would be filed or who would serve as the official plaintiffs.