Secretary of State Antony Blinken has acknowledged the implication of an Israeli military unit, presumed to be Netzah Yehuda, in grave human rights abuses against Palestinians in the West Bank prior to the outbreak of conflict in Gaza. This announcement was made in a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson, where Blinken indicated the U.S. is reviewing new information from Israel before deciding on withholding aid to the unit.
Blinken has deferred the decision on whether to limit U.S. assistance to the Israeli unit while emphasizing that the overarching U.S. military support for Israel will persist unimpeded. This deliberation comes amid intensifying scrutiny over U.S. military backing for Israel, which has sparked protests on U.S. college campuses and contentious political discourse domestically and internationally.
The review is in accordance with the Leahy Law, a 1997 act that mandates the U.S. to cease military aid to foreign military units found to have committed severe human rights violations. The law permits exceptions if the implicated military has taken corrective actions and held the wrongdoers accountable. While the Leahy Law has been applied in various contexts globally, it has never been enacted against Israel, a long-standing ally of the United States.
Israeli officials have vehemently opposed the possibility of restrictions, fearing it would cast a negative light on the IDF, often portrayed by Israeli leaders as the “world’s most moral army.” The predicament for Israel is that although the financial stakes might be modest, the symbolic weight of such an action would be significant, potentially sullying Israel’s international image.
The Netzah Yehuda battalion, comprised mainly of ultra-Orthodox soldiers, has notably been reassigned from the West Bank to the Golan Heights and most recently to Gaza. It has been linked to several incidents of misconduct, including the death of a 78-year-old Palestinian American man in 2022, which has drawn sharp criticism and calls for accountability.
Despite the controversy, the State Department continues to evaluate the new data provided by the Israeli government on the battalion’s current status. Blinken has expressed the intent to engage in discussions to chart a course toward effective remediation for the unit in question.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pledged to oppose any sanctions vehemently, terming the potential restrictions “the height of absurdity and a moral low.” Similarly, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has reached out to American officials in efforts to halt such measures, underscoring the heavy implication it would have on the IDF’s reputation.
The U.S. review process has faced criticism from various quarters, with some groups arguing that the Biden administration has not been vigorous enough in upholding international human rights standards. Others see the prolonged decision-making as indicative of the preferential treatment Israel receives from the U.S.
Relevant articles:
– US Says It’s Reviewing New Information About Israeli Unit Accused of Abuses Before the War in Gaza, Military, 04/29/2024
– U.S. reviewing sanctions for IDF unit Netzah Yehuda, over West Bank human rights violations, NBC News, Fri, 26 Apr 2024 17:46:45 GMT
– US postpones decision on aid to Israeli army battalion accused of abuses against Palestinians, The Associated Press, Fri, 26 Apr 2024 19:40:00 GMT
– US review of Israeli military unit accused of rights violation in West Bank is ‘ongoing’, Voice of America – VOA News, Fri, 26 Apr 2024 23:11:40 GMT
– State Department weighing “new information” from Israel in determining whether IDF unit violated U.S. law, CBS News, Fri, 26 Apr 2024 18:20:10 GMT