Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to reject any sanctions against the country’s military after the United States said it planned to cut aid to one unit.
“I will fight against this with all my might,” the Israeli prime minister said on Sunday.
Earlier, the Axios news site reported that the US would oppose Israel’s Netzah Yehuda Battalion over alleged human rights violations in the occupied West Bank.
The BBC reported that any step would be within the US ban on providing aid to foreign units proven to have been involved in wrongdoing.
When asked last week about reports that US military aid to Israel Defense Forces units could be cut over allegations of human rights abuses in the occupied West Bank, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said: “You can expect to see them in the next few days.”
Washington – Israel’s main ally – has never stopped aid to an IDF unit before.
The Israeli military said Netzah Yehuda was acting in accordance with international law.
“Following the publication of sanctions against the battalion, the IDF is not aware of the matter,” the military said, quoted by Reuters. “The IDF is working and will continue to work to investigate any unusual event in a practical manner and in accordance with the law.”/BGNES
