Criticism Of The US Plan, PM Netanyahu Will Fight Efforts To Impose Sanctions On The Israeli Military

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netantanyahu. (GPO/Amos Ben Gershom)

JAKARTA - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sharply criticized the United States Government's plans under President Joe Biden regarding plans to impose sanctions on one of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), for alleged human rights abuses in the occupied West Bank.

The alleged violation occurred before the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7 and is said to have involved members of the Netzah Yehuda Battalion in the occupied West Bank.

"Sanctions should not be imposed on the Israel Defense Forces!" he wrote on X, reported by CNN April 23.

"While our army is battling terror monsters, the intention to impose sanctions on a unit in the IDF is the pinnacle of low moral and moral absurdity," Netanyahu continued.

He stated that he and his government would "act at all costs" to counter US efforts to impose sanctions on Israeli citizens.

Earlier, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken last week said he had made a decision on whether to cut funds for certain Israeli security units regarding reports of human rights abuses before October 7.

He did not name the Netzah Yehuda Battalion. On Monday, Foreign Minister Blinken said "in the next few days, we will convey more, so please look forward to it."

As previously reported, the Netzah Yehuda Battalion is said to consist of young orthodox Jewish settlers who are not accepted in other IDF units. If sanctions are imposed, the battalion will not be able to get military training assistance and access from the US.

Israeli media reported that Washington had investigated a number of Israeli military units for alleged human rights violations over the past year.

A US source said the sanctions would prohibit Israel from disbursing military aid funds from the US to help the Netzah Yehuda Battalion buy weapons. However, Israel certainly still has other sources of funding beyond US aid to finance the battalion, the US source said.