The US is preparing to impose sanctions on Netzah Yehuda, a unit of the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) over alleged human rights violations in the West Bank, according to Media Reports.
This would be the first time the Biden administration has taken such action against an Israeli military unit.
What is Netzah Yehuda?
The unit in question, called the Netzah Yehuda battalion, has faced accusations of right-wing extremism and of violence against Palestinians in the past.
The Netzah Yehuda battalion is primarily composed of ultra-Orthodox soldiers who are allowed to serve without compromising their religious beliefs. They are segregated from female soldiers and given extra time for religious study and prayer.
Although the battalion was moved out of the West Bank in December 2022, Israel denies that the relocation was due to the soldiers’ conduct.
According to reports, the planned US sanctions would prevent Netzah Yehuda soldiers from training with American troops or receiving US-funded assistance. This includes a ban on the transfer of US weapons to the battalion.
Sanctions under Leahy Laws
These sanctions are being imposed under the Leahy Laws.
The Leahy Laws are a set of US laws named after Senator Patrick Leahy. These laws prohibit the US government from providing military assistance to foreign military units or individuals that are credibly alleged to have committed gross violations of human rights.
Under the Leahy Laws, if a military unit or individual is accused of human rights abuses and has not been brought to justice, they are barred from receiving US military assistance. This includes training, equipment, and funding.
The laws are designed to ensure that US military assistance does not support or enable human rights violations by foreign military forces.
One incident involved the death of Omar As’ad, a 78-year-old Palestinian-American who died after being detained by soldiers from the battalion. As’ad was handcuffed, blindfolded, and later found abandoned in near-freezing conditions.
Israel reacts on Sanctioning Netzah Yehuda
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticized the planned sanctions, calling them “the height of absurdity and a moral low.” He argued that sanctions should not be imposed on the Israel Defence Forces, especially while they are fighting against terrorism.
Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir also condemned the potential sanctions, calling them a “red line.” He suggested that if the Defence Ministry did not support the battalion, it should be integrated into the country’s border police.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken decided not to sanction other Israeli military and police units under investigation, citing improvements in their conduct.
The decision to impose sanctions on the Netzah Yehuda battalion comes after a State Department panel recommended sanctions on several Israeli units for alleged human rights abuses.
Notably, some soldiers from the battalion have been convicted of torturing Palestinian prisoners in the past.
While the US has imposed sanctions on individuals for violence against Palestinians since the Israel-Hamas conflict began, this would be the first time sanctions are imposed on an Israeli military unit.
The latest round of US sanctions, announced on Friday, also targeted Benzi Gopstein, the leader of the far-right group Lehava, who is a close ally of Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir.
