Israel Defence Forces (IDF): Netzah Yehuda Unit
The US is considering imposing sanctions on other Israeli military and police units over its alleged human rights violations against Palestinian civilians, two sources said on April 21, 2024. This came close on the heels of President of the US Joe Biden’s administration plan to sanction the Netzah Yehuda Battalion in a move that could strain the relations between the two allies amid the Israel-Hamas War.
The Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu said on April 21 that he would fight sanctions on any Israeli military unit with all my strength, an Israeli media agency reported. “If anyone thinks they can impose sanctions on a unit of the IDF (Israel Defence Forces) I will fight it with all my strength,” he said.
The United Stated Department conducted an investigation into the Netzah Yehuda and several other units in the IDF for more than a year due to alleged human rights abuses said the Israeli media report. The Netzah Yehuda Battalion has been mired in past controversies over allegations of violence against Palestinians. This also included the death of Omar As’ad an American born Palestinian who died after Israeli battalions detained him.
He was handcuffed, blindfolded and later found abandoned in near freezing conditions. A source predicted that other Western countries may follow suit and impose sanctions on Israeli military units accused of violence against Palestinians. If the US imposes sanctions on Netzah Yehuda, and other battalions, these units will be barred from using US military aid to purchase weapons, However, Israel can also use its funds to purchase weapons for these units.
The Biden Administration, however, was differentiating between its move to disapprove Israel’s actions in the West Bank even as the 14 billion USD package was passed by the US Congress over the weekend. The aid package for the war in Gaza signified Washington continued robust support for the Jewish state despite concerns over the aftermath of the fighting.
In a statement, the Defence Minster Yoav Gallant warned that the planned move by the US would set a dangerous precedent while he spoke with the IDF Chief of Staff Lt General Herzi Halevi on April 21, 2024, on how to prevent the planned sanctions from being imposed. “I expect the American administration to go back on its intentions to impose sanctions on the Netzah Yehuda battalion,” Gallant said.
He urged the Israeli defence establishment to act at all echelons in order to make clear to the American government the importance of supporting IDF operations which are carried out subject to international law.
“Any attempt to vilify an entire unit casts a heavy shadow on the actions of the IDF to protect the citizens of Israel and thwart terror elements. Harm to any one battalion is harm to the entire military establishment. This is not the way to behave with partners and friends,” Gallant was quoted as saying in a statement.
The Israeli Defence Ministry stated that Gallant spoke to the US ambassador to Israel Jack Lew and was expected to hold talks with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken as well. War cabinet minister Benny Gantz said he spoke to Blinken and urged him to reconsider the move. He said the planned sanctions were unjustified and would be a mistake as they would harm Israel’s legitimacy at a time when it is battling Hamas in Gaza.
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