U.S. Secretary of State Blinken delays aid cutoff to Israeli unit

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has found that an Israeli army battalion committed serious human rights abuses against Palestinians in the West Bank in the run-up to the Gaza war. But in a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson, he announced a postponement of the decision to cut off aid to the unit, giving Israel more time to right the wrongs.

The letter postpones for the first time a decision on whether to suspend U.S. aid to an Israeli military unit because of its treatment of Palestinians and adherence to international human rights law.

This news coincides with Blinken's visit to Israel. An Israeli foreign ministry official said in a statement that Blinken will arrive in Israel on Tuesday, one of several visits by Blinken and other senior U.S. officials since the outbreak of bloodshed in Gaza.

In his letter, Blinken emphasized that overall U.S. military support for Israel's defense against Hamas and other threats will not be affected by the State Department's final decision on the unit.

The unit and some of its members have been implicated in violations against civilians in the Palestinian territories, among them the death of a 78-year-old Palestinian-American man following his detention by battalion forces in 2022.

The Biden administration faces a critical decision on aid at a time of growing protests and controversy over American military aid to Israel's conflict with Hamas, affecting college campuses, domestic politics and international relations.

Blinken stated that up to now, the Israeli government has not adequately addressed the unit's violations. However, he noted that new information provided by the Israeli government on the unit's status will be taken into account in determining an effective remedial path.

While its financial impact is relatively small, the selection of this unit would be embarrassing for Israel, which often touts its army as "the most moral army in the world."

Moreover, it would represent another reproach to Israel's policies in the West Bank by the United States, given its recent escalation of its criticism of Israel's treatment of Palestinians and its sanctioning of radical settlers for violence against Palestinians.

Source: AP