(Washington) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Defense Minister responded strongly to information that Washington may impose sanctions on an Israeli army unit over possible violations against Palestinians in the West Bank before the Hamas attack in October.
“Sanctions should not be imposed on the Israeli army!” “Mr. Netanyahu wrote on X.
He said Saturday: “At a time when our soldiers are fighting the monsters of terrorism, the intention to impose sanctions on an Israeli army unit is the height of absurdity and an attack on morality.”
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant also came to the aid of the targeted unit, which, according to American and Israeli media, is the Netzah Yehuda Battalion, largely made up of ultra-Orthodox soldiers.
“The people who are in a unit affected the common sense of our country, this is not the same place in the neighborhood of our neighborhoods and all other places,” M. Gallant commented in a communications publication in his office in the daytime. Until Monday.
Photo by Menachem Kahane, press archive
According to American and Israeli media, the unit in question is the Netzah Yehuda Battalion, made up largely of ultra-Orthodox soldiers.
After meeting with Israeli Chief of Staff General Herzi Halevi, Mr. Gallant announced that he was studying “measures to be taken to prevent the implementation” of the sanctions.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was asked on Friday about reports that the United States will halt military aid to certain units of the Israeli army, in connection with potential human rights violations in the West Bank prior to October 7 and the unprecedented attack by Hamas.
“I have come to conclusions. You can expect to learn about them in the coming days,” Blinken said.
The US official referred to the “Leahy Law”, which prohibits the US government from using funds to assist foreign security force units when there is reliable information indicating their involvement in human rights violations.
He added: “This is an important law that we apply at all levels.”
When we conduct these investigations […]This takes time. This must be done very carefully, both in terms of gathering facts and analyzing them, and that is exactly what we did. I think it's fair to say that you will see results very soon.
Mr. Netanyahu promised to act “by all means” against possible sanctions targeting Israeli soldiers.
On Saturday, the US House of Representatives voted on a huge plan that includes military aid to Israel worth $13 billion, especially to strengthen the Israeli anti-missile shield, called “Iron Dome.”
The Israeli army has been mobilizing for more than six months against Hamas in the conflict-ravaged Gaza Strip and on the Lebanese border, where fire is exchanged with the pro-Iranian Hezbollah on an almost daily basis.
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