Several Israeli battalions are being considered for sanctions by the Biden administration due to allegations of human rights breaches committed by their members while operating in the occupied West Bank.
Since Israeli soldiers are now fighting Hamas in Gaza, Israeli authorities have condemned the possible penalties as ridiculous and immoral. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is among these figures. Axios broke the story the same day that the House of Representatives approved a measure giving $26 billion to Israel and providing humanitarian aid to victims of wars, including those in Gaza—rumors of possible penalties quickly spread after the news broke.
Because it is hard to trace the financing of individual Israeli troops and because these battalions do not get training from the United States, the possible practical effects of any penalties are unclear. The nature of Israel’s relationship with its closest friend makes this course of action quite problematic.
The ultra-Orthodox Jewish males who follow stringent religious rules that demand gender segregation were the original target of the violent attacks against Palestinians in the West Bank by Netzah Yehuda. During a night raid on his town in January 2022, soldiers of the Netzah Yehuda battalion arrested, gagged, and imprisoned a 78-year-old Palestinian-American man. Omar Abdelmajed Assad’s death was determined to be a heart attack brought on by the stress of his injuries incurred while in jail, according to an autopsy.
The Israeli military justice system has long been the target of criticism from human rights groups who claim it covers up wrongdoing and shields military officials from punishment. In response to the growing number of settler attacks on Palestinians and anti-settlement activists in the occupied West Bank, the Biden administration has sanctioned several individuals and two grassroots groups for their involvement in these attacks.
The high death toll in Gaza is directly attributable to Mr. Biden’s endorsement of Israel’s actions, which have drawn widespread condemnation and anger. With more than 34,000 Palestinians killed in the six months of fighting, the prospect of sanctioning an Israeli unit may be seen as a kind of redress.