Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to reject any sanctions on the country's military, after reports that the US plans to cut aid to one unit. "I will fight it with all my strength," the prime minister said on Sunday. Earlier, the Axios news site said the US would target Israel's Netzah Yehuda battalion over alleged human rights violations in the occupied West Bank.
It has been reported by the BBC that any action taken by the US in relation to a ban on foreign aid would be based on credible suspicions of violations. Last week, when asked about allegations of human rights abuses against the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in the occupied West Bank, US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, stated that he had made determination, and that we can expect to see them in the coming days. It is important to note that Washington, which is Israel's main ally, has never previously suspended aid to an IDF unit.
The Israeli military said Netzah Yehuda was operating per international law.
According to Reuters news agency, the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) has denied knowledge of any sanctions against the Netzah Yehuda battalion, following recent publications about the issue. The IDF stated that it will continue to investigate any unusual events in accordance with the law. Israel's Defense Minister, Yoav Gallant, has called on the US to withdraw its plan to sanction Netzah Yehuda, stating that the world is closely watching the ties between the US and Israel. Mr. Gallant added that any attempt to criticize an entire unit would cast a heavy shadow on the actions of the IDF, and that this is not the right path for partners and friends. Axios reported on Saturday that three US sources with knowledge of the issue indicate that Mr. Blinken is expected to announce measures against Netzah Yehuda in the coming days.It said the move would be over alleged abuses in the West Bank, including one incident in which a Palestinian-American man, 80-year-old Omar Assad, died after being bound and gagged by Israeli soldiers during a search in the West Bank in January 2022.
At the time the US called for a "thorough criminal investigation and full accountability" in the case.
The IDF later said it regretted Mr Assad's death and that the Netzah Yehuda commander would be "reprimanded"over it. It added that two soldiers would barred from serving in senior positions for two years, but would not be prosecuted. It said Mr Assad's death had been caused by a pre-existing medical condition.
Mr Assad's family, many of whom are based in the US, condemned the decision to close the case.
All the alleged violations took place before the 7 October Hamas attack on Israel from the Gaza Strip.
The "Leahy Law" was sponsored in 1997 by then-Senator Patrick Leahy to prevent US funding or training being used for foreign military units that are credibly implicated in gross human rights violations, and any decision to bar an IDF unit from US military assistance would be made under this law. According to Josh Paul, the former director of the state department's Political-Military Affairs bureau, who oversaw US arms transfers, most of the human rights violations cases were not remedied, meaning that the perpetrators were not held accountable. He added that when they tried to pass on these recommendations to the Secretary of State, they were unable to get them through the political level. Mr. Paul resigned from his position in November because he felt there was a lack of accountability over weapons transfers to Israel. Recent media reports suggest that the recommendations he mentioned have since reached Mr. Blinken's desk.
Formed in 1999, Netzah Yehuda is a special men-only unit where ultra-Orthodox Jews serve.
Earlier this week, the state department imposed sanctions on Israeli far-right activist Ben Zion Gopstein. It said his organisation, Lehava, had "engaged in destabilising violence affecting the West Bank".
