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The USA is probably considering sanctions against the IDF. People in Israel are outraged about this. It's not the first time the battalion has made headlines.
Jerusalem/Washington – The United States is expected to impose sanctions on an Israeli military unit for the first time. According to media reports, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken plans to announce the move soon; This is met with incomprehension by the Israeli government. Who is the Netzah-Yehuda (Judea Forever) group and why should it be sanctioned?
The Netzah Yehuda Battalion was formed in 1999 to reflect the religious beliefs of ultra-Orthodox Jews and other religious nationalist recruits in the Israeli army. It is intended to allow these groups to maintain their religious practices while serving in the Israeli military. Among other things, there is enough time set aside for prayers and studies. Likewise, interactions with female soldiers are kept to a minimum. In 2005, the unit became part of the new counterterrorism-focused Kfir Brigade. According to the Israeli Army (IDF), this is “at the forefront in the fight against Palestinian terrorism.” This is what the Israeli writes +972 magazines.
Killing of unarmed civilians, torture and attacks: Netzah Yehuda is known for this
According to the magazine, the Kfir Brigade has its own extensive history of abuses and killings of Palestinians. But Netzah Yehuda himself always stands out. The battalion has been involved in a number of serious incidents involving ill-treatment of Palestinian civilians, including the shooting and killing of unarmed civilians, torture, physical attacks, beatings and sexual assaults, in violation of international human rights and humanitarian law.
In a 2022 investigative report into the abuse allegations against Netzah Yehuda wrote that Wall Street Journal, that “one of the most controversial decisions related to the group was to limit its service to the West Bank.” Since then, the number of incidents involving the group has increased. Netzah Yehuda, with just 500 soldiers in the battalion, has had the highest conviction rate of any Israeli military unit for offenses against Palestinians since 2010, the Journal said, citing the Israeli human rights group Yesh Din. The battalion was withdrawn from the West Bank at the end of 2022.
“A unit that every army should be ashamed of” – USA launches investigation
“My Israeli colleagues will resent me for saying this, but Netzah Yehuda is a kind of Israeli Wagner Group“said Ahron Bregman, political scientist and expert on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict at King's College in London France24. Although the group is an integral part of the IDF, it is “a unit that every army should be ashamed of.”
Between 2015 and 2022, the unit's soldiers killed three Palestinians – Iyad Zakariya Hamed (38), Qassem Abbasi (16) and Omar Assad (78). Since Assad had both Palestinian and American citizenship, the USA became aware of the case and initiated a criminal investigation.
Human rights violations by Israeli units – US announcement “within a few days”
The 78-year-old was arrested by Netzah Yehuda soldiers and died of a heart attack. His body was later found at a construction site. Israel subsequently fired two officers and reprimanded the battalion commander, but did not initiate a criminal investigation. Israeli prosecutors said there was no connection between the soldiers' behavior and Assad's death.
The expected sanctions conclude the US investigation into Assad's death. According to a report from the organization Pro Publica On Thursday (April 18), a US State Department panel recommended months ago that several Israeli military and police units operating in the West Bank be excluded from receiving US aid. However, this has not happened so far. In response, Blinken said last week that he had made “findings” in connection with a number of allegations of human rights violations by Israeli units in the West Bank. The intelligence service Axios According to him, he will announce the sanctions “within a few days”.
“With courage and professionalism in the war in the Gaza Strip” – Netanyahu is outraged
a White House official told the news serviceit would ““No sanctions against IDF units” were considered. However, certain units would be “excluded from American security assistance under the Leahy Act until the violations are corrected.”
What is Leahy's Law?
The Leahy Law, officially known as the Leahy War Victims Fund or the Leahy Law, is United States legislation that establishes certain conditions for assistance to foreign security forces and governments. It is named after US Senator Patrick Leahy, who was instrumental in its introduction.
It was passed in 1997 as part of the State Department Financing Act. It aims to prevent and sanction human rights violations committed by foreign military units or security forces supported by the United States. The law requires the U.S. State Department to review the human rights record of foreign security forces before providing assistance. If there is credibility that an entity has committed human rights abuses, support must cease unless the Secretary of State can demonstrate that action has been taken to hold those responsible to account.
This is intended to ensure that foreign security forces supported by the US adhere to human rights standards and that US assistance is not used to commit or support human rights violations. It is therefore an instrument to promote and monitor compliance with human rights by foreign governments.
In Israel the news sparked angry reactions. “The IDF must not be sanctioned!” wrote Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a post on X, calling the prospect of sanctions “the height of absurdity and a moral low point.”
An IDF spokesman told the newspaper Haarez, that they continue to work to “investigate any unusual incident based on the facts and in accordance with the law.” Meanwhile, Netzah Yehuda’s soldiers would “take part in the war with courage and professionalism Gaza Strip participate”. (tpn)
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