US State Department Finds Israeli Military Units Responsible for Human Rights Violations
In a groundbreaking move, the US State Department has identified five units of the Israeli military as responsible for gross violations of human rights in individual incidents. Despite this finding, these units will continue to receive military backing from the US.
All the incidents in question occurred outside of Gaza before the current war erupted.
Israel has taken corrective action in four of the units, providing “additional information” for the fifth unit, according to the State Department.
As a result, all five units remain eligible to receive US military assistance.
With the US being Israel’s major military supporter, supplying $3.8bn (£3bn) worth of weapons and defense systems annually, this announcement marks a significant development.
This determination is the first of its kind for any Israeli unit by the US government.
State Department spokesman Vedant Patel confirmed that five security forces units were found to have committed gross violations of human rights.
“Four of these units have taken steps to address these violations, which aligns with our expectations for our partners,” Patel stated.
Regarding the remaining unit, Patel mentioned ongoing consultations and engagements with the Israeli government, which has provided additional information related to that particular unit.
Despite criticism and allegations of political pressure, the department maintains that it is engaged in a process with Israel and will make a final decision on that unit once the process is complete.
All incidents are believed to have occurred in the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem in recent years.
Under the “Leahy Law” enacted in 1997, a finding that a foreign military unit has committed gross human rights violations could result in the cessation of US military assistance to that unit.
The US government defines torture, extrajudicial killing, enforced disappearance, and rape as such violations under the Leahy law.
Even with such findings, there is a provision to continue military assistance if the state department determines that the cases have been appropriately addressed and justice pursued by the concerned government.
Israel reportedly took corrective action in four of the five units, meeting the criteria for remediation under the Leahy Law. However, specific details of the incidents, remediation efforts, units involved, and the effectiveness of the remediation were not disclosed by the department.
While it was initially reported that military aid to the fifth unit would be cut, new information from Israel has prompted a delay in the decision-making process.
The unit in question is widely believed to be the Netzah Yehuda battalion, a special unit comprising ultra-Orthodox Jewish members. This unit was investigated following the death of Palestinian-American Omar Assad during a West Bank village search in 2022.
Israeli authorities expressed regret over Assad’s death, with a commander facing reprimand and two soldiers receiving restrictions on senior positions for two years, but no criminal charges were filed.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken hinted at forthcoming determinations regarding the Leahy Law, with Israeli leaders vowing to resist any sanctions on their military.
When questioned about the potential withdrawal of military assistance to the fifth unit, State Department officials emphasized the need for thorough consultations with the Israeli government before reaching a final decision. — BBC
