The US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, is expected to announce sanctions against the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) battalion “Netzah Yehuda,” for human rights violations in the West Bank, according to a report by Axios.
The Axios report outlines the sanctions’ provisions to ban Netzah Yehuda military unit and its members from receiving US military assistance and training. The sanctions are a response to incidents that occurred in the West Bank prior to the October 7 Hamas attack. The Washington Post pointed out that Blinken had made determinations related to several accusations of Israel violating US law. These sanctions mark the first time the US has sanctioned an IDF unit.
The potential sanctions hinge on the US “Leahy Law,” a statute that prohibits the US from using funds to assist units of foreign security forces implicated in the commission of gross human rights violations based on credible information. Named after its author, former Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy, the law was instituted in 1997.
Reacting to the potential sanctions, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu voiced his condemnation on X (formerly Twitter), pleading with the US not to follow through. Netanyahu argued against imposing sanctions on a military unit fighting terrorists and assured that Israeli Government would work to prevent such sanctions. In response, Israeli Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben Gvir, demanded an emergency political-security cabinet meeting.
Meanwhile, local Israeli media reported that the IDF remains unaware of US plans to impose sanctions on the Netzah Yehuda battalion. In response to the news, the IDF stated that its troops are performing with courage, professionalism, and adherence to international laws amid the war in the Gaza Strip.
The sanctions arise from incidents that occurred before the start of the Israel-Hamas conflict, which was triggered by the Hamas attack on October 7. This conflict has led to severe consequences for civilians, with nearly 2 million people displaced and over 32,000 killed, mostly civilians. The survivors face challenges from a collapsed medical system and an imminent famine.