Israeli leaders were said today to be “horrified” by an unprecedented US crackdown on one of its key army units for human rights abuses.
The United States is set to sanction the famed Netzah Yehuda battalion of the Israel Defense Forces over allegations of murder, persecution and torture of Palestinians.
1
The right-wing ultra-Orthodox Jewish battalion is accused of egregious violations in Israel’s West Bank territory and now operates among troops fighting Hamas in Gaza.
The sanctions plan was revealed as the US Congress approved a £21.34 billion military aid package for Israel, including £7.36 billion in humanitarian aid for Gaza.
For the first time, restrictions have been proposed, prohibiting the transfer of US weapons or funds to the infantry unit and prohibiting training with US forces.
Angry Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to fight the proposals that are wreaking havoc today: “The IDF must not be sanctioned!
“At a time when our soldiers are fighting terrorist monsters, the intention to impose sanctions against an IDF unit is the height of absurdity and low morale.”
But the US move was applauded by Israel’s enemies, who blame violence against Palestinians and land grabs for spiraling violence across the region.
Netzah Yehuda’s troops have been blamed for a series of attacks, including the 2022 death of 78-year-old Palestinian-American Omar As’ad.
They handcuffed him, blindfolded him, and left him to die in near-freezing conditions.
Religious fanatics fighting for unity have also been condemned for torturing and abusing Palestinian prisoners.
Fresh horrors unfolded in Gaza today amid reports that at least 13 children from the same family had been killed during weekend airstrikes in Rafah, Gaza.
Mourners were photographed hugging small shrouded bodies as the Israel Defense Forces prepare for the bloody final advance towards their enemy’s last stronghold among 1.4 refugees.
Casualty figures in Gaza were later updated to a total of 24 children killed in three separate Israeli attacks on Rafah since Friday, according to the Hamas-controlled health authority.
Israeli forces are prepared to advance towards the city where the evil mastermind of October 7, Yayha Sinwar, and his henchmen are believed to be hiding.
Meanwhile, satellite images revealed that Friday’s Israeli strike on Iran was a “warning shot” that destroyed a single surface-to-air missile site.
A sophisticated missile, which went undetected by ground defenses, was fired from outside Itan to destroy the Russian-built S-300 air defense site protecting the Natanz nuclear base in Isfahan.
The images showed burn marks caused by the precision strike which showed that Iran’s most precious nuclear plant was vulnerable and could be attacked at will.
Iran has downplayed the report, insisting that it shot down three “toy” drones launched from inside Iran in a weak attack that deserved no response.
The S-300 radar unit destroyed at the Eighth Shekari Air Base in Isfahan was part of a series of defenses that were supposed to protect the top-secret Natanz site.
Friday’s only retaliatory counterattack came six days after Iran launched 320 drones and missiles that were 99 percent repelled by warplanes and rocket defenses.