Scoop: U.S. won't sanction IDF unit for human rights violations in West Bank [View all]
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Source: Axios
Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke on Friday with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and informed him that he had decided to end the investigation into the Israel Defenses Force's "Netzah Yehuda" battalion for human rights violations in the occupied West Bank and not impose sanctions on the unit, according to two senior U.S. and Israeli officials.
Why it matters: It's a significant diplomatic achievement for Gallant, who in recent months has had quiet talks with Blinken and other senior U.S. officials in an effort to demonstrate the IDF has taken steps to address human rights violations by members of the battalion.
If sanctions were imposed on the Netzah Yehuda battalion, it would have been an unprecedented move on the part of the Biden administration, and potentially damaged the IDF and relations between Israel and the United States.
U.S. law prohibits foreign aid and Defense Department training programs from going to foreign security, military and police units credibly alleged to have committed human rights violations.
Read more: https://www.axios.com/2024/08/09/idf-west-bank-israeli-blinken
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