Akunis Cancels Israeli Consulate's New York Times Subscriptions Over Flotilla Report

Ofir Akunis, Israel's consul general in New York, ordered the cancellation of all New York Times subscriptions held by consulate staff on Friday, after the paper ran an investigation built on claims by activists detained trying to break Gaza's naval blockade. The consulate said the step followed false blood libels and constant incitement against the Jewish state. Akunis said the paper repeatedly publishes blood libels from anonymous sources, and that Hamas terrorists were its sources for an earlier one. The Foreign Ministry called the report's rape allegation a complete lie, the IDF said its orders require respectful treatment of flotilla participants, and organizers acknowledged none was filed in Israel.