The State Department announced on Friday that it has decided not to suspend aid to an Israeli military unit due to concerns over human rights abuses, stating that they are now satisfied with the steps Israel has taken to address the issue. Although the specific unit has not been publicly named, it is widely believed to be the Netzah Yehuda, which has operated in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and has been associated with mistreatment of Palestinian civilians, including the death of a 78-year-old Palestinian American man while in their custody in 2022.
In April, Secretary of State Antony Blinken revealed that an Israeli army battalion had committed serious human rights violations against Palestinians in the West Bank, which activated the Leahy Law – a U.S. regulation regarding aid to foreign security forces. Despite facing opposition from Republican lawmakers, Blinken opted to allow aid to the unit to continue in order to give Israel an opportunity to rectify the wrongdoings.
The decision not to block aid to the Israeli military unit comes amid heightened criticism following the deaths of numerous Palestinian civilians during an Israeli military operation in Gaza. Former officials from the State Department have accused the department of consistently making exceptions for Israel in cases of Leahy Law violations.
The State Department noted that they had received new information from Israel regarding their handling of the case, and after a thorough review, they concluded that the violations by the unit have been appropriately addressed. The Department explained that as part of the Leahy Law process, the unit will be allowed to continue receiving security assistance.
An anonymous U.S. official revealed that Israeli military prosecutors had taken action against two soldiers involved in the abuses, removing them from active duty and barring them from serving in the reserves. The Israeli military has also indicated that they have enhanced screening, training, and supervision measures for the unit in question.
