US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke on Friday with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and informed him that he had decided to end the investigation into the IDF’s "Netzach Yehuda" battalion for human rights violations in Judea and Samaria and not impose sanctions on it, Axios’ Barak Ravid reported, citing two senior US and Israeli officials.
The cancellation of the sanctions are a significant diplomatic achievement for Gallant, who in recent months has had quiet talks with Blinken and other senior US officials in an effort to demonstrate that the IDF has taken steps to address possible human rights violations by members of the battalion.
State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said, "As we made public in April, the Department of State found after a careful review that incidents of gross violations of human rights by two units of the Israeli Defense Forces and two civilian authority units had been effectively remediated. The Department has for the past several months continued to review an additional unit to evaluate new information provided by the Government of Israel.”
“After thoroughly reviewing that information, we have determined that violations by this unit have also been effectively remediated. Consistent with the Leahy process, this unit can continue receiving security assistance from the United States of America,” he added.
Axios reported in April that the US was expected to impose sanctions on the Netzach Yehuda battalion over what was described as “human rights abuses”.
The sanctions, had they been imposed, would have prevented the transfer of American aid or equipment to the battalion, and prevented its officers from training with US forces.
The expected announcement of US sanctions on Netzach Yehuda was met with outrage in Israel.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement, “I will sacrifice myself to defend a unit in the IDF, I will fight it with all my might. As our soldiers are united in defending us on the battlefield, we are united to defend them on the diplomatic front. Together we will fight, and with God's help, together we will win."
Then-Minister Benny Gantz later indicated he spoke with Blinken and “warned the Secretary of State that the apparent decision to impose sanctions on Netzach Yehuda would be a "double mistake: it will hurt Israel's legitimacy during the war, and it has no justification since Israel has a strong and independent judicial system, and all IDF units are subject to the IDF orders, which comply with international law. Gantz asked Blinken to reconsider the matter."
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant also spoke to Blinken after the initial report and said he raised the issue with the Secretary of State.
(Israel National News' North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Israel National News articles, however, is Israeli time.)