The package of four bills passed in the US House of Representatives on Saturday also includes the granting of US military aid to Israel.
This aid package provides for $26.4 billion in aid to Israel$4 billion for Iron Dome and David’s Sling missile defense systems, $1.2 billion for the Iron Beam defense system, $4.4 billion to replenish defense items and services provided to Israel, and $3.5 billion to procurement of advanced weapons systems.
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At the same time, however, the US is ready to impose sanctions on an Israeli army (IDF) unit accused of violations in the West Bank.
According to Israeli media, US State Department officials have confirmed that they are preparing to impose sanctions on the battalion. Netzah Yehudawhich has been accused of serious human rights violations against Palestinians.
According to the Guardian, this all-important move (if implemented, it would be the first time the US government has targeted an IDF unit) would bring sanctions under the Leahy Act of 1997which would ban the transfer of US military aid to that unit and prevent soldiers and officers from participating in training, either with the US military or in US-funded programs.
The news of possible sanctions against the Netzah Yehuda Order comes after a statement by US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, who commented on allegations that Israel violated the Leahy Act. It should be noted that, since the law was enacted, US aid has been blocked to hundreds of units around the world accused of rights abuses.
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What is “Netzah Yehuda”
The battalion Netzah Yehuda, part of the Kfir brigade, was created in 1999. The purpose of the unit was to allow “Ultra-Orthodox Jews” to serve as combat soldiers in the Israeli army, creating a climate conducive to their religious beliefs. It originally contained only 30 soldiers. In 2009, the battalion increased its strength by over 1,000 soldiers and is now considered a fully operational battalion. Training is the same as IDF infantry: Five months of basic training and an additional six months of advanced training.
As of October 7, 2023, in the wake of the Hamas-led offensive, soldiers of the Netzah Yehuda Battalion participate in the ensuing Gaza War.
The State Department has investigated a number of Israeli security forces, including the police and military, for violations. The battalion has been at the center of several accusations in the past related to far-right extremism and violence against Palestinians. In fact, soldiers from this unit were charged with the death of a 78-year-old US citizen in 2022, Omar Assad, who died of a heart attack after being held, gagged and abandoned. It was one of many serious incidents which included allegations of torture and ill-treatment. This case led the State Department to order a criminal investigation.
Strong reactions from Israel
The report that an IDF battalion is facing imminent sanctions prompted a strong reaction from the country’s senior officials, including the country’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.
“The IDF should not be sanctioned” wrote to X. “I have been working for the last few weeks against the imposition of sanctions on Israeli citizens. At a time when our soldiers are fighting terrorist monsters, the intention to impose sanctions against an IDF unit is the height of absurdity.” he added, pledging to resist the said decision.
“The Netza Yehuda Battalion is an integral part of the Israel Defense Forces” added a senior war cabinet official and former IDF chief of staff. “It is subject to military law and is responsible for operating in full compliance with international law. The State of Israel has, and will continue to do so, a strong, independent judicial system that rigorously evaluates any claim of violation or deviation from the IDF’s orders and code of conduct.”
The “carrot and whip” in Israel
The rumored US plan came amid increasing international sanctions against Israelis involved in violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.
Last Friday, the US and EU separately announced new sanctions against far-right Israeli groups, NGOs and individuals, including Benji Gopstein, who has been a close political ally of Israel’s far-right national security minister.
The US’s complicated stance toward Israel appears to demonstrate that while its allies will support what Tel Aviv sees as “legitimate defense,” they are also determined to punish any escalation of extremist violence in the West Bank.
