Israel worries about US putting military unit on sanctions list

The US news site Axios mentioned this information in an article published on April 20. Accordingly, the Netzah Yehuda Battalion is at risk of being sanctioned by the US for allegedly violating human rights against Palestinians in the West Bank.

Soldiers of Israel's Netzah Yehuda Battalion take part in a training exercise in May 2014. Photo: AFP — Soldiers of Israel's Netzah Yehuda Battalion take part in a training exercise in May 2014. Photo: *AFP*

Information from the US news site sparked a wave of strong reactions from Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

"The IDF cannot be sanctioned," he wrote on social media X. "In recent weeks, I have tried to oppose sanctions against Israeli citizens, including in discussions with the US administration."

"The intention to impose sanctions on a unit within the IDF is the height of absurdity and moral degradation," the Israeli prime minister added.

Israeli War Cabinet Minister Benny Gantz also weighed in, declaring Netzah Yehuda "an integral part of the IDF." He added that Israel has a "strong and independent" court system capable of handling allegations of violations.

The expressions of surprise and anger in Israel came shortly after the country's leaders expressed gratitude for the US House of Representatives' approval of a large military aid package for Tel Aviv, part of a $95 billion foreign aid bill that has been stalled since late last year.

Citing unnamed sources, Axios said the sanctions would prohibit the transfer of US weapons to Netzah Yehuda and prevent its soldiers from training with US forces or participating in any activities that rely on funding from Washington, under the Leahy Act.

Drafted by Senator Patrick Leahy in the late 1990s, the act prohibits providing military assistance to individuals or security units that have committed serious human rights violations and have not been brought to justice.

One of the sources cited said that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken decided not to sanction other Israeli military and police units that the administration was investigating because it found that they had adjusted their behavior.

An administration official told the news site that the decision to sanction Netzah Yehuda was based on research into incidents in the West Bank conducted before the Hamas raid last October.

Secretary of State Blinken himself said on April 19 that he had made a decision regarding the accusation that Israeli forces violated the Leahy Law.

Netzah Yehuda was created so that ultra-Orthodox soldiers and soldiers of other religions in Israel could serve without feeling like they were compromising each other's beliefs. Soldiers in Netzah Yehuda do not interact with female soldiers as much as other units and have more time for prayer and religious study.

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