Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir warned the United States on Sunday that imposing sanctions on the extremist “Netzach Yehuda” battalion would be a “red line”.
Ben Gvir tweeted on his social media account, “Sanctions against our soldiers are a red line. Defense Minister Yoav Galant must immediately support (Netzach Yehuda).”
American media outlets reported on Saturday that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken would announce sanctions against the “Netzach Yehuda” unit in the Israeli army in the coming days.
The “Netzach Yehuda” unit is considered a target for extremist settler youths in the West Bank who were not accepted into other units in the Israeli army.
The sanctions will prohibit the battalion and its members from receiving American aid and military training, based on human rights violations recorded in the West Bank before October 7.
On the other hand, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his rejection of the expected sanctions on a unit in the Israeli army, saying, “Sanctions on our army cannot be imposed, and we will take all steps against these measures.”
In this context, Israeli Finance Minister Avigdor Lieberman described the US sanctions on the Israeli army as “absolute madness and an attempt to impose a Palestinian state on us.”
These developments come amid escalating clashes in the region, with the current Israeli military operations in Gaza resulting in Palestinian casualties, while international efforts continue to reach a prisoner exchange deal and a ceasefire.
Significant scrutiny surrounds several Israeli units, including border police and special forces, over their conduct in incidents like the alleged binding and gagging of a Palestinian American citizen, which led to his death, and the physical and sexual assault of a Palestinian teenager.
Amidst growing scrutiny over US military assistance to Israel, especially given the recent high Palestinian death tolls in Gaza and controversial Israeli military actions, the Biden administration has expressed a more critical stance towards Israeli policies in the West Bank.
