U.S. exempts Israeli special forces from abuse and kills, imposes sanctions, and provides $95 billion in support
The US Biden administration clashed with the Netanyahu regime by linking military aid and ‘sanctions’ to the ‘exemption from abuse and death’ of Palestinian Americans by Israeli special forces.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on the 19th that Israel had made a "decision" in response to accusations that it had violated a series of U.S. laws prohibiting military support for individuals or security forces who commit serious human rights violations, adding, "An announcement could be made soon." “He said.
After months of conflict, the U.S. House of Representatives passed $95 billion in aid to Ukraine and Israel on the 20th, and the ‘Leich Act’ enacted by the Senate ahead of Senate approval was highlighted.
The 'Leahy Act', a US sanctions law, was enacted by Senator Patrick Leahy in the late 1990s and stipulated 'prohibition of providing military support to individuals or security force units who have committed serious human rights violations but have not been brought to trial', and this time, Israel's Jewish far-right unit, Neza. The NETZAH YEHUDA battalion was targeted.
The Neza Yehuda Battalion, a Jewish ultra-Orthodox special forces unit, was charged with the heart attack death of Omar Assad, a 78-year-old Palestinian American who died of a heart attack in 2022, and a Palestinian autopsy found that Assad died of a heart attack caused by stress. It turns out.
Reuters reported on the 22nd that there have been several other cases in recent years in which members of Neza Yehuda's unit were accused or charged with abusing Palestinian detainees.
The Biden administration demanded that Israel investigate the death in January of last year, but the Israeli military acquitted the deceased, saying soldiers temporarily gagged him with a cloth and handcuffed his hands after he 'refused to cooperate' and later died. It was concluded by
Neza Yehuda's battalion commander was later reprimanded and two officers dismissed, but Israeli military prosecutors cleared him of criminal charges, saying there was "no connection between the soldiers' mistakes and Assad's death."
On June 13 of last year, the Israeli Attorney General's Office stated the grounds for terminating the charges, saying that the military doctor could not determine that the Palestinian-American's death was specifically caused by the soldiers' actions, and that the soldiers could not have been aware of his health condition.
The Justice Department announced immunity from criminal prosecution and future disciplinary action against the soldiers who detained the Palestinian-American dual citizen man, left him outside overnight, and later found him dead.
The death occurred in January when Israeli forces detained 78-year-old Omar Assad at a makeshift checkpoint in his hometown of Jiljilya in the West Bank, where soldiers said they thought he was asleep and left him lying unresponsive. He was later found dead early in the morning with a plastic zip tie tied to one wrist.
The Neza Yehuda Battalion mainly conducted operations in the West Bank until it moved out of the territory at the end of 2022 following criticism from the United States. It was deployed to Gaza during the Gaza Strip war and is operating against Palestine.
Israeli leaders reacted angrily to reports of sanctions.
Prime Minister Netanyahu responded to Secretary Blinken's remarks on the 21st, calling the possibility of sanctions against the Israeli military at a time when it is waging war against Hamas in Gaza "the height of absurdity and the lowest moral point," and "we will use all means available." He said.
Reuters reported that War Cabinet Secretary Benny Gantz spoke with Secretary Blinken on the phone and asked him to "reconsider the forward-looking decision."
The Israeli government announced today that the Neza Yehuda Battalion is an active combat unit that operates in accordance with the principles of international law.
Amid turmoil with the United States, Israel withdrew Neza Yehuda from the West Bank in late 2022 and relocated it to northern Israel. The battalion moved to the southern border with the Gaza Strip after a Hamas attack broke out the war on October 7.
“Neza Yehuda soldiers are currently participating in the war effort in the Gaza Strip,” said a statement from the cabinet on Monday. “The battalion is conducting operations professionally and courageously in accordance with the IDF Code of Ethics and with full commitment to international law.” He said.
“If the unit is sanctioned, we will review the consequences,” the statement continued.
The Neza Yehuda unit, also known as Judea Forever, is based in the Palestinian-occupied West Bank, and some of its members have been linked to abuses against Palestinians.
AP said, “This unit came under strong criticism from the United States after an elderly Palestinian-American was found dead shortly after being detained at a West Bank checkpoint in 2022, and an autopsy in Palestine showed that although he had underlying health conditions, he suffered a heart attack due to ‘external violence.’” “Doctors found that his head was bruised, his wrists were red and red because they were tied, and his eyelids were bleeding because his eyes were tightly closed,” he said.
Assad, a dual citizen, has lived in the United States for 40 years, and after protests from the U.S. government, the Israeli military said the incident was "a serious and unfortunate incident resulting from the soldiers' moral failure and poor decision-making."
The AP said, “In relation to this incident, one person was reprimanded and two others were reassigned to non-command positions,” and “The Israeli Army decided not to file criminal charges, saying military investigators could not directly link their actions to the death of an American citizen.” reported.