Following rumors that the US intends to stop funding one unit, Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel has vowed to oppose any penalties imposed on the armed forces of the nation.
“I’ll battle it with everything I’ve got,” the prime minister declared on Sunday.
The US is allegedly targeting Israel’s Netzah Yehuda battalion for violating human rights in the occupied West Bank, according to a report published earlier by the news website Axios.
The BBC is aware that any action would violate US policy prohibiting funding to foreign organizations that are substantially linked to transgressions.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken responded to a question last week regarding reports that US military assistance to Israel Defense Forces (IDF) units could be discontinued due to claims of violations of human rights in the occupied West Bank by saying, “I’ve made determinations; you can expect to see them in the days ahead.”.
The primary ally of Israel, Washington, has never before stopped providing support to an IDF unit.
Netzah Yehuda was acting in compliance with international law, according to the Israeli military.
According to the Reuters news agency, the military stated, “After stories alleging sanctions against the unit, the IDF is not aware of the situation.” “The IDF operates and will continue to work in a legally compliant and pragmatic manner to investigate any odd situation.”
Yoav Gallant, the defense minister of Israel, urged the US to change its mind about sanctioning Netzah Yehuda, claiming that the world was paying more attention than ever to the US-Israeli relationship.
An Army statement read, “Any attempt to criticize an entire unit throws a huge shade on the operations of the IDF.”
Axios reports that US Secretary of State Blinken is expected to announce measures against Netzah Yehuda within days due to alleged abuses in the West Bank, including the death of Palestinian-American Omar Assad. The US called for a thorough criminal investigation and full accountability in the case. The IDF later said it regretted Assad’s death and that the Netzah Yehuda commander would be “reprimanded” over it.
Two soldiers would be barred from serving in senior positions for two years but would not be prosecuted. The decision to close the case has been condemned by Assad’s family, many of whom are based in the US.
Any decision to bar an IDF unit from US military assistance would be made under the “Leahy Law,” sponsored in 1997 by then-Senator Patrick Leahy.
The “Israel-Leahy vetting forum” looked into at least a dozen allegations made against Israeli units, including the Netzah Yehuda battalion. Josh Paul, former director of the state department’s Political-Military Affairs bureau, which oversees US arms transfers, believed that most cases were unremediated and that the perpetrators had not been properly held to account. Paul resigned from his position in November in protest at what he saw as a lack of accountability over weapons transfers to Israel.
(BBC)
