Israel and The New York Times Fight Over News Story

May 15, 2026, 16:30
Middle EastPolitics

Introduction

The Israeli government wants to sue The New York Times. The newspaper wrote a story about bad treatment of Palestinian prisoners.

Main Body

A writer named Nicholas Kristof wrote a story. He said Israeli soldiers and guards hurt prisoners. He talked to 14 people. He said the US gives money to Israel, so the US is also responsible. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the story is a lie. He says the writer used wrong information. He says the story is not true and hurts Israel. Now, they talk about the law. In the US, it is hard to sue a newspaper. In Israel, the law is different. Some people think the government should not sue because people need to speak freely.

Conclusion

The New York Times says the story is true. The Israeli government says the newspaper must pay for the lies.

Learning

πŸ’‘ The 'People' Pattern

In this text, we see how to describe what people say and do. This is the most important part of A2 English: connecting a person to an action.

1. The Action Word (Verbs) Look at how the text connects people to their ideas:

  • The newspaper β†’\rightarrow wrote
  • Nicholas Kristof β†’\rightarrow said / talked
  • Benjamin Netanyahu β†’\rightarrow says
  • The government β†’\rightarrow wants

2. Simple Sentence Building To reach A2, stop making sentences long. Follow this simple map: Person + Action + Thing

  • The newspaper (Person) + wrote (Action) + a story (Thing).
  • The US (Person) + gives (Action) + money (Thing).

3. Quick Vocabulary Swap Instead of using the word "say" every time, you can use these from the text:

  • Talk about (for a general topic)
  • Tell/Write (for a specific story)

Vocabulary Learning

government (n.)
The group of people who control a country or state.
Example:The government announced new rules for the city.
sue (v.)
To take legal action against someone.
Example:She decided to sue the company for the broken product.
newspaper (n.)
A printed publication containing news and articles.
Example:I read the newspaper every morning.
story (n.)
A narrative or account of events.
Example:He told a story about his childhood.
writer (n.)
A person who writes books or articles.
Example:The writer signed the contract with the publisher.
soldiers (n.)
Military personnel who fight for a country.
Example:Soldiers trained for the upcoming mission.
guards (n.)
People who watch over or protect something.
Example:The guards checked everyone's ID at the entrance.
prisoners (n.)
People who are kept in custody.
Example:The prisoners were given a chance to appeal.
money (n.)
Currency used for buying goods and services.
Example:She saved money for her future.
responsible (adj.)
Having duty or obligation to do something.
Example:He is responsible for the safety of the team.
lie (n.)
An untrue statement.
Example:The politician's lie was exposed by the press.
information (n.)
Facts or knowledge about something.
Example:The report provided useful information.
true (adj.)
In accordance with facts.
Example:The evidence proved the story was true.
law (n.)
Rules made by a government to control behavior.
Example:The new law will protect the environment.
speak (v.)
To communicate with words.
Example:She can speak three languages.
freely (adv.)
Without restrictions or limits.
Example:You can move freely in the park.
pay (v.)
To give money for something.
Example:He will pay for the tickets tomorrow.