US expected to announce sanctions against Haredi battalion 'Netzah Yehuda'"

April 20, 2024   

US Secretary of State Tony Blinken is expected to announce sanctions against the Netzach Yehuda Battalion - the IDF's ultra-Orthodox battalion - in the coming days. This was reported this evening (Saturday night) by journalist Barak Ravid on the 'Walla' website, citing three American sources. The sanctions come against the backdrop of what is called "violation of Palestinian human rights" in Judea and Samaria. This will be the first time ever that the US government has imposed sanctions on an Israeli military unit due to its activities in Judea and Samaria. The sources noted that the US sanctions will prohibit the transfer of US military assistance to Netzach Yehuda, prevent its soldiers and officers from taking part in training with the US military, or participating in activities that receive US funding. The sanctions are based on a 1997 law by former Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy, which prohibits the provision of US military assistance or training by the US military to security forces, the army Or police about whom there is reliable information about human rights violations. A senior US administration official told Walla that Blinken's decision is based on incidents that occurred before October 7 and occurred only in the West Bank. In the news center, one of the sources noted that Blinken decided not to impose sanctions on several additional units in the IDF and the Israel Police that were under investigation because they had corrected their conduct. On Thursday, the American investigative website ProPublica reported that a special committee of the US State Department, which investigated allegations of human rights violations in Judea and Samaria, had already forwarded to Blinken several months ago recommendations to impose sanctions on several units of the IDF and the Israel Police and to prevent them from receiving American funding. At a press conference in Italy on Friday, Blinken was asked about these recommendations, and claimed that he had made a decision on the matter and that an announcement about this would be made in the coming days. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded: "Sanctions should not be imposed on the Israel Defense Forces! I have been working in recent weeks against imposing sanctions on Israeli citizens, including in my conversations with senior US administration officials. While our soldiers are fighting the monsters of terror, the intention to impose sanctions on an IDF unit is the height of absurdity and a low point in my values. The government I lead will act by all means against these moves." Chairman of the State Camp, Minister Benny Gantz: "The Netzah Yehuda Battalion is an integral part of the IDF. It is subject to military law, and it operates in accordance with international law. The State of Israel has a strong and independent judicial system, which knows how to examine and examine any violation of the law or deviation from IDF orders, and that is what we do. "I have great respect for our American friends, but imposing sanctions on the unit is a dangerous precedent, and also sends the wrong message to our common enemies in a time of war. I will work to ensure that this decision does not pass.".