Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has denounced a reported move by US to issue sanctions against the Netzah Yehuda battalion of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
“Sanctions On Our Soldiers Is A Red Line” Israel Hits Out At US Move
The sanctions, according to reports, are for alleged human rights violations committed against Palestinians in the West Bank by the battalion’s soldiers. There are reports that the Biden administration is set to blacklist the battalion considered elite by the IDF.
“The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) must not be sanctioned. Our soldiers are fighting terrorist monsters, and the intention to impose sanctions on an IDF unit is the height of absurdity and a moral nadir ( the lowest point),” Mr. Netanyahu said in a statement on Saturday night.
Israeli ministers Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich also slammed the US move .“Imposing sanctions on our soldiers is a red line,” Mr. Gvir said, adding that the move was extremely serious and “The members of the Netzah Yehuda must be protected.”
Citing unnamed American sources, the Axios report said the sanctions would bar the transfer of US weapons to the largely ultra-Orthodox infantry unit and prevent its soldiers from training with US forces or taking part in any activities with US funding, under the Leahy Laws.
Authored by then-senator Patrick Leahy in the late 1990s, the laws prohibit providing military assistance to individuals or security force units that commit gross violations of human rights and have not been brought to justice.
One of the sources was quoted saying that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had decided not to sanction other military and police units that the administration was investigating, as it had seen adjustments in their conduct.
An administration official told the news site that the decision to sanction Netzah Yehuda was based on research done before October 7 that examined incidents in the West Bank.
