US finds Israeli military units violate human rights
The State Department has determined that at least five Israeli military units have engaged in serious human rights violations, but has refrained from imposing any sanctions pending discussions with the Israeli government.
The State Department said Monday that the violations are specific to Israeli military operations in Palestinian communities in the West Bank and predate Israel’s current war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
But amid a growing global backlash against Israeli actions in the Palestinian territories and accusations that the Israeli military violates international humanitarian law, the State Department’s resolve and response is a sign that the State Department, a major arms supplier to Israel, It signals a challenge for the Biden administration to be a military partner.
Under the federal Leahy Act, the U.S. government is prohibited from providing weapons to foreign military or security forces found to have committed human rights abuses or violations of international humanitarian law.
State Department Deputy Spokesman Vedant Patel insisted on Monday that the administration complies with the Leahy Act, even though it does not impose any restrictions on military aid to Israel.
Patel said the State Department has determined that a small number of Israeli military units are involved in serious human rights abuses, but is consulting with the Israeli government to address the abuses.
Patel said the State Department is reviewing information provided by the Israeli government related to the fifth Israeli military unit, which will influence what actions the administration imposes.
“We continue to consult and engage with the Government of Israel. They have submitted additional information related to their forces and we continue our dialogue in line with our Memorandum of Understanding with the Government of Israel signed in 2021. ,” Patel said.
Patel’s comments sparked a backlash from reporters at a State Department press conference, where Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced on April 19 that it had made a decision under the Leahy Act, but the department did not mention its findings for 10 days. I questioned why he didn’t. Mr Patel described the procedure as an “ongoing process”.
The charges against the unit come as Israel is under intense pressure and global isolation over Palestinian civilian casualties in Israel’s war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip. This comes on top of decades of intense scrutiny over Israel’s repeated conflicts with Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Read the full report at TheHill.com.
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How policies impact current and future national defense and national security
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President Biden opposed a full-scale invasion of Rafah and put pressure on the Israeli government in a phone call with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday, the White House said. The White House said Biden “reiterated his clear position” on Rafah in a phone call as Israeli forces moved closer to invading the southern city of Gaza. The Biden administration has repeatedly asked the Israeli military not to enter Israel.
What we’re looking forward to:
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Charles Q. Brown Jr. will testify tomorrow at 10 a.m. at a House Armed Services Committee hearing on the 2025 Department of Defense Budget Request.
The House Appropriations and Defense Subcommittee will hear from Gen. Daniel Hokanson, director of the National Guard Bureau. Lt. Gen. Jody Daniels, Army Reserve Chief, U.S. Army Reserve Command; Vice Admiral John Mastin, Chief of the Naval Reserve; Lt. Gen. Leonard Anderson, Commandant, Marine Corps Reserve; Tomorrow at 10 a.m., I will meet with Lt. Gen. John Healy, the Air Force Reserve Secretary, about the 2025 National Guard and Reserve Request.
The House Appropriations and Defense Subcommittee also held a hearing on the Fiscal Year 2025 Requests for the U.S. Air Force and Space Force, with testimony from Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall, Air Force Chief of Staff David Albin, Space Force Gen. B. Chance, and others. is scheduled to be held.Saltzman, Director of Space Operations, tomorrow at 2 p.m.
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Universities across the country are in crisis as pro-Palestinian student protests show no signs of slowing down, increasing the risks to schools and threatening to become a major election-year issue.
Happenings in and around the defense industry:
Lithuanian Defense Minister Laurinas Kasunas will speak on “Nordic, NATO, and the Ukraine War” at the Hudson Institute from 9 a.m.
The U.S. Institute of Peace will hold a virtual discussion with former Indian Deputy National Security Adviser Pankaj Saran on “The Trajectory of India-Russia Relations During the Ukraine War” at 9:30 a.m.
The Senate Armed Services Subcommittee will hold a hearing on “Department of Defense’s Efforts to Ensure Military Personnel Access to Safe, High-Quality Medical Products,” with Lester Martinez Lopez, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, and David Smith, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs. There will be testimony from the Under Secretary.2:30 p.m., Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Preparedness Policy and Oversight
The Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee will hold a hearing on “U.S. Policy toward Taiwan” at 2:30 p.m., with testimony from Daniel Krietenbrink, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and Pacific Affairs.
The House Armed Services Subcommittee will hold a hearing on the Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Request for Military Readiness with testimony from Gen. James Mingus, the Army’s Vice Chief of Staff. James Kilby, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations; Gen. Christopher Mahoney, Assistant Commandant, Marine Corps; Gen. James Slife, Air Force Vice Chief of Staff;and Adm. Michael Getlein, deputy director of space operations, at 3 p.m.
A separate House Armed Services subcommittee will hold a hearing on the FY25 Budget Request for Nuclear Forces and Defense Activities at 3:30 p.m.
News reported by other media outlets:
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Defense and national security editorials submitted to The Hill:
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