Netanyahu Vows to Reject US Sanctions on Army Units

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Facts

  • The US is considering sanctioning additional Israel Defense Forces (IDF) units over alleged human rights violations against Palestinians. Pres. Joe Biden is reportedly expected to sanction police forces as well as the Netzah Yehuda Battalion this week.1
  • Soldiers in the Netzah Yehuda Battalion, which was created in 1999 and consists of ultra-Orthodox Jews, or Haredim, have been convicted of electrocuting Palestinians and allowing a Palestinian-American to die in their custody in 2022.2
  • Sanctions against Netzah Yehuda, who had been ordered to leave the West Bank following the man's death but didn't, will prohibit US funds from being used to buy weapons for the unit. Investigations into IDF misconduct in Gaza are also expected to open.1
  • In response, both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the country's opposition leader criticized the proposal, describing it as 'the height of absurdity' and a 'mistake,' respectively.3
  • While the sanctions come under the Leahy law, which prohibits funding rights abusers with American dollars, Netanyahu has vowed to 'fight it with all [his] strength.' The US House, however, has still approved an aid package that would give $26.4B to Israel.4
  • Elsewhere in the conflict, the Palestinian civil defense responders reportedly discovered 180 bodies at a mass grave inside the Nasser Medical Complex in the city of Khan Younis.5

Sources: 1timesofisrael.com, 2wsj.com, 3Washington Post, 4Guardian and 5Al Jazeera.

Narratives

  • Pro-Israel narrative, as provided by ISRAEL HAYOM. Israel itself has acknowledged the past wrongdoings of individual Netzah Yehuda soldiers, but that doesn't mean the entire unit should be smeared. By doing this, Washington is not only painting this Battalion with a broad brush, but also the entire IDF. Israel should be allowed to discipline soldiers without its entire reputation being defamed.
  • Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by Al Jazeera. The Netzah Yehuda Battalion has a long and recorded history of egregious human rights violations, so it's no surprise that sanctions are finally being placed against it. There is even video footage of these soldiers abusing Palestinian detainees, which is why the US government couldn't possibly turn a blind eye to these human rights violations.

Predictions