The United States confirmed that five units of the Israel Defense Forces violated human rights

(from Washington, United States) – Spokesperson of the State Department, Vedant Patelannounced today usa It was confirmed that five units of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) found responsible”Individual incidents of serious human rights violations,

Patel Clarified that all violations occurred before the terrorist attack by Hamas on October 7, 2023. According to the State Department’s investigation, Chief Illegal acts took place in early 2022 and in the West Bank.

“After careful procedure We confirm that five Israeli entities were responsible for individual incidents that violated human rights. All these incidents happened before October 7 Nothing happened in Gaza. Four of these units have effectively remedied these violations,” Patel explained.

state Secretary, Antony Blinken, Among other complaints – an administrative investigation was launched to determine whether Israeli Netzah Yehuda Battalion Israel Defense Forces (IDF) violated human rights during a military operation In the West Bank in early 2022.

The outcome of the investigation is a warning signal from the United States to Israel, which has been questioned Number of deaths due to this During its offensive in Gaza to eliminate the terrorist group Hamas, which is responsible for Massacre took place in Israel on 7 October 2023. that day 1,300 Jews were murdered, dozens of women and men were executed, and over a hundred civilians were abducted and are still held captive in the Strip.

“I will steadfastly defend the IDF, our military and our fighters. If anyone believes they can impose sanctions on an IDF unit, “I will fight this with all my strength,” Benjamin Netanyahu sounded the alarm on the official X account (formerly Twitter) after he learned that the State Department was He was ready to disseminate his research.

And he finished: “This is the height of absurdity.”

netanyahu Together with the Defense Minister, Yoav Gallant, and leader of the opposition benny gantz Israeli War Cabinet. There are political and strategic differences between the three regarding the struggle against Iran and its proxies, but in this case they reacted collectively Given the imminent publication of Blinken’s report on the battalion Netzah Yehuda.

Following statements critical of Netanyahu, Gantz contacted the Secretary of State to argue that a sanction be granted against Netza Yehuda. Israel’s legitimacy would be harmed during a war and maintain that the Israeli Defense Forces They operate under international laws.

“Commanders and soldiers of the Netzah Yehuda battalion have been working on the front lines of the battle since the war began, working to thwart terrorist elements in Judea and Samaria, expelling Hezbollah forces from the northern border. Are.” And these days they are working to eliminate the Hamas brigades in the Gaza Strip, By risking their lives,” he concluded. Yoav BraveryDefense Minister, In line with Netanyahu and Gantz.

Despite advocacy by three members of the Israeli War Cabinet, Blinken did not back down Informing the public about one’s research as a basis for political decisions The so-called Leahy law.

In 1997, the Capitol passed a Legislation drafted by Senator Patrick Leahy (Vermont-Democrat) who “restricts the United States government use money Assisting foreign security force units when reliable information exists. “This implicates that entity in serious human rights violations.” The official website of the State Department states.

This much leahy law Allows the State Department – ​​and the Defense Department – ​​to open a summary to determine whether a foreign military unit – in this case the Netzah Yehuda Battalion – violated human rights

In fulfillment of a mission.

Blinken-led investigation into compliance with the Leahy Act may refuse to give money Funding Israel’s war efforts against Iran and its proxies. about two weeks ago, Capital allocated US$13,000 million in military aid to Israel, following a debate that fractured the ruling faction over Netanyahu’s military strategy.

Israel intends to escape -necessarily- Important report of Biden administration Raises questions of global public opinion Furthermore, regarding its offensive in Gaza block The portion of military funding that should be allocated to the Netzah Yehuda Battalion if it is ultimately approved by the State Department.

The White House has already questioned Prime Minister Netanyahu over the deaths of volunteers of the NGO World Central Kitchen and now the actions of the Netzah Yehuda battalion have also joined it. Which was in the West Bank and was before the terrorist attack by Hamas.

The Netzah Yehuda Battalion was formed A special unit for ultra-Orthodox Jewish soldiers, They are all men and were young people with extreme right-wing ideologies who were rejected by other units of the Israel Defense Forces.

Unit “The young men of the hills” -as he was identified- was deployed to the West Bank, and the State Department began its investigation in late 2022 after receiving persistent complaints Incidents of violence against Palestinian civilians.

He dies in January 2022 American-born Palestinian called Omar Assad. He was eighty years old and had been arrested by Netzah Yehuda soldiers at a checkpoint in the West Bank. It was night and Assad refused Israeli control: He was handcuffed, gagged and left in the open. He died a few hours later.

The autopsy showed that Assad had died Stress-induced heart attack caused by injuries sustained during detention. The Israeli military justice system found that there were flaws in the conduct of the soldiers involved, who “acted in a way that was not in line with what was necessary and expected,” it said in its decision.

Following an investigation, the Israeli military punished three of the unit’s commanders. But no criminal charges were filed against the soldiers. In January 2023, The battalion was transferred from the West Bank to the Golan Heights.

During the G7 summit in Capri, Blinken was asked when the results of the investigation into the Netzah Yehuda battalion would be released. The Secretary of State was brief: “You’ll be able to see them in the next few days,” advance.

This is the first time that the United States has invoked Lehi law with Israel., which is its main ally in the Middle East. Netanyahu did not want to set a precedent and during his last conversation with Biden he proposed that the report’s release be postponed.

Biden said no,

And today the results of the investigation led by Blinken were revealed. In Israel’s favor is that it made amendments in four of the five cases analyzed. -As required by the Leahy Act so that the military assistance given is not suspended- and it remains to be known what sanctions the White House will impose against illegal conduct of the Netzah Yehuda Battalion in the West Bank.