The US State Department on Monday (April 29) said it had identified five Israeli security forces responsible for serious human rights violations. This is Washington’s first such conclusion. The Israeli government is taking corrective actions against the relevant military units in accordance with US law, with no units facing restrictions on US aid.
According to media reports, US State Department Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel stated at a press conference that these (human rights violations) incidents occurred in Gaza before the outbreak of clashes between Israel and Hamas in October.
Under the US federal “Leahy Laws,” the US government is not allowed to provide military assistance to foreign military forces or security units found to be involved in human rights violations or in violation of international humanitarian law.
In response, Patel stated that while no restrictions have been placed on providing military assistance to Israel, the government is complying with the “Leahy Laws.”
Patel said that four of the units have effectively corrected these violations. Regarding the fifth unit, Washington has not yet determined if sufficient remedies have been made and is still in discussions with Israel. All these units remain eligible for US aid.
“We will continue to consult and engage with the Israeli government. They have provided more information related to that department, and we will continue these dialogues based on the memorandum of understanding signed with the Israeli government in 2021.”
Despite facing pressure from far-left Democratic Party members, President Biden signed a bill last Wednesday (April 24) providing an additional $26 billion in wartime aid to Israel.
On October 7 last year, Iran-backed Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a terror attack on Israel, resulting in over 1,200 deaths and approximately 250 hostages taken. This triggered a new round of military conflicts between Israel and Hamas.