Israel's US ambassador calls New York Times Gaza coverage a blood libel
Yechiel Leiter told Chabad emissaries in New Jersey that the paper's reporting on a toddler in Gaza omitted key medical details.
By Alyssa Parker ·
Israeli Ambassador to the United States Yechiel Leiter accused The New York Times of spreading a blood libel against Israel during a speech at the annual Chabad international conference in New Jersey on Sunday. Leiter told the audience that the newspaper’s reporting on the war in Gaza, specifically regarding claims of starvation and genocide, creates a dangerous atmosphere for Jewish communities worldwide.
The ambassador detailed a meeting with 21 editors from The New York Times that took place on November 10, 2025. He described the session as a confrontation where he felt the editors acted as a jury, judge, and firing squad. Fifteen editors were present in the room, while six participated via video link. Leiter said they accused the Israeli government and the Israel Defense Forces of committing genocide and intentionally starving Palestinians.
Leiter stated that he presented data on humanitarian aid trucks entering Gaza daily and described efforts by soldiers to minimize civilian casualties. He summarized the exchange by saying he brought facts, while the editors brought feelings. One editor challenged his position by noting that not everyone could be wrong. Leiter responded that not everyone believed in a genocide, citing urban warfare expert John Spencer and journalist Douglas Murray as defenders of the IDF's conduct.
A central point of contention was a front-page photograph published by the newspaper in July 2025. The image showed Mohammed Zakaria al-Mutawaq, an 18-month-old Palestinian toddler, who appeared severely underweight in his mother's arms. Leiter argued that the report failed to disclose that the child had a genetic disorder, cerebral palsy, and other preexisting medical conditions. He also noted that the photograph had been cropped to exclude the child's healthy brother.
The New York Times later updated its reporting to clarify the toddler had preexisting conditions affecting brain and muscle development. The paper also maintained that the child suffered from severe malnutrition and that his condition worsened due to shortages of food and medical care in Gaza. Leiter rejected this nuance, calling the initial presentation a blood libel that cost lives.
Leiter connected these modern accusations to historical antisemitic blood libels, stating that demonization preceded the Holocaust. He argued that the current campaign against Israel is no longer about specific territories like the Golan Heights or Gaza, but about the state's very existence. He interpreted the slogan From the river to the sea as a call for the destruction of the Jewish people in the Land of Israel rather than a compromise on borders.
In his closing remarks, the ambassador urged Chabad emissaries to identify and challenge antisemitic rhetoric in its various forms. He described antisemitism as a mutating virus and said the primary challenge of the generation is forgetting how to identify the enemy.
