US expected to sanction Israeli military unit for human rights violations: Report
Axios, citing three US sources, reports that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is expected to announce sanctions against the Israeli military’s ‘Netzah Yehuda’ battalion for human rights violations in the occupied West Bank within days.
The news outlet said It would mark the first time the US has imposed sanctions on an Israeli military unit.
The sources told Axios that the sanctions would prevent the battalion and its members from receiving any kind of US military assistance or training.
The male-only Netzah Yehuda battalion was formed in 1999 as a special unit for ultra-orthodox soldiers. Its website states that around a thousand soldiers serve in the unit at any one time.
Axios states that the unit stationed in the West Bank has “became a destination for many ‘Hilltop Youth’ — young radical right-wing settlers who weren’t accepted into any other combat unit”.
Netanyahu: Sanctions must not be imposed on the Israeli army
The Israeli prime minister reacted in an X post to reports that the US will sanction a unit of the Israeli army in the coming days.
“At a time when our soldiers are fighting the monsters of terror, the intention to impose a sanction on a unit in the [army] is the height of absurdity and a moral low. The government headed by me will act by all means against these moves,” Benjamin Netanyahu said.
Netanyahu also said that he has been working against the imposition of sanctions on Israeli citizens, adding that this is something he spoke about with United States officials. The US and European Union imposed sanctions this week on extremist Israeli settlers accused of violent actions in the occupied West Bank.
Sanction one unit and a few people, reward the rest of the terrorists.
The reward for ongoing occupation, apartheid, racism, nightly terrorist raids and genocide is 26 Billion dollars, paid for with American tax payer money
The US House of Representatives approves billions of dollars in military aid for Israel
The House has voted to provide Israel with $26 billion in emergency assistance, including almost $14 billion in unconditional military aid. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the approval of billions of dollars in new military aid showed strong support for Israel and “defends Western civilization”.
In a post on X, he said: “The US Congress just overwhelmingly passed a much appreciated aid bill that demonstrates strong bipartisan support for Israel and defends Western civilization. Thank you friends, thank you America!”
Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, talks to reporters just after the House voted to approve $95 billion in foreign aid for Ukraine, Israel and other US allies
At least Ukraine gets much needed aid to fight Russia committing genocide on the Ukrainian people, yet Netanyahu can ramp up his genocidal intentions on both Gaza and the West Bank, and further try to escalate the regional war.
What is in the aid package for Israel passed by the US House?
The bill allocates $26.38bn to “support Israel in its effort to defend itself against Iran and its proxies”, as well as reimbursing US military operations in response to recent attacks.
The funding includes:
- $5.2bn to replenish and expand Israel’s missile and rocket defence system
- $3.5bn for purchasing advanced weapons systems
- $1bn to enhance weapons production
- $4.4bn for other supplies and services to Israel
- $9.2bn in humanitarian aid
How much of that humanitarian aid will Israel spend on Gaza... So far they've only been blocking and slowing down aid coming from other countries and the UN.
