Will US Sanctions On Netza Yehuda Of Israeli Army Effectively Curb Human Rights Violations?

By New Age Islam Staff Writer

27 April 2024

Because of violations of human rights in the occupied West Bank, the US is thinking of imposing penalties on the Israeli army's "Netza Yehuda" battalion. If the sanctions are implemented, it will be the first time that the US has punished an Israeli army brigade for human rights violations. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has expressed opposition to any sanctions imposed on Israeli military forces. Will the US actually be successful in its consideration? is a question.

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The US is considering sanctions on the "Netza Yehuda" battalion of the Israeli army, a unit of ultra-orthodox Jewish youth within the Israel Defence Forces (IDF), due to human rights abuses in the occupied West Bank. According to the New York Times, the restrictions may have an impact on one or more Israeli battalions. If sanctions are levied, this will be the first time the US administration has ever done so against an Israeli army battalion for violating human rights. As a result, the battalion will not be eligible to receive military assistance or training from the US. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that he would oppose any sanctions imposed on Israeli military forces for purported human rights violations.

The Brief Information About The Netza Yehuda Battalion

Formerly known as Nahal Haredi, the 97th Netza Yehuda Battalion is a component of the Kfir Brigade of the Israel Defence Forces. Under Halakha regulations, this unit enables Haredi Jewish males to serve in the IDF as combatants while maintaining their religious views. The battalion's main operational zone is the West Bank.

The battalion was formed in 1999 as the result of discussions between the IDF and Haredi educators that lasted eighteen months, under the direction of Rabbi Yitzhak Bar-Chaim of the Netza Yehuda organisation. When Netza Yehuda was formed, it only had thirty soldiers at first. This unit is permanently stationed in the West Bank, unlike other units that move around frequently. It begins its deployment in the Jordan Valley and gradually expands to areas near Jenin, Tulkarm, and Ramallah.

The Netza Yehuda now numbers over a thousand guys. The IDF battalion uses a voluntary recruitment process rather than drafts. It recruits fighters from a range of backgrounds, including religious Zionism, ultra-orthodoxy, and Chardal families, in addition to overseas volunteers. For the religious needs of their soldiers, Netzah Yehuda bases carefully abide by Jewish dietary laws.

The Kfir Brigade, including the Netza Yehuda Battalion, began participating in the Gaza War in 2024. The battalion is fighting in Lebanon, Syria, and the Gaza Strip.

In order to preserve gender segregation and prevent any contacts between men and women that are judged inappropriate, only the wives of soldiers and officers are permitted among women on the Netza Yehuda bases.

The slogan of the battalion is "V'haya Machanecha Kadosh," which translates to "And Your camp shall be holy," highlighting the Torah's insistence on cleanliness in a Jewish military camp. It is said that by doing this, one might call upon divine assistance when fighting.

Will the United States' idea of punishing the Netza Yehuda battalion truly serve to curb Israeli settler violence?

Despite focusing its punishment on Israeli settlers under President Biden, the US is reportedly unable to stop Israeli settler violence against Palestinians.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) reports that twenty Palestinian communities in the West Bank have been attacked and forced to leave by Israeli settlers since October 7. The Israeli attacks in Gaza, which have killed over 34,000 people and sparked assertions of genocide, have obscured the forced expulsions of Palestinians and the brutality perpetrated by Israeli settlers.

It is a highly odd situation that the US government has decided to denounce Israeli settler violence and stop providing military support to an Israeli army battalion that is involved in serious human rights crimes. The USA supported Israel while it massacred Gazans, severely violating their human rights, under the guise of defence. In recent weeks, Israeli settler violence has increased in spite of media reports that the US was going to punish the unit. The Israeli settlers appear to be well aware that, despite appearing to talk about penalties, the US will essentially do nothing to stop them from employing violence.

The US's consideration of imposing punishments on the Netza Yehuda battalion may not effectively prevent Israeli settler violence. There are some reasons. The United States vetoed a resolution to the Security Council that called for the State of Palestine to be granted full UN membership amid the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip. The US decided to maintain tight ties with Israel in spite of its brutality and cruelty in Gaza, going against the wishes of other UN members. It is hard to think the US will actually be able to stop Israeli settler aggression.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is said to have objected to the US action. As close friends, Biden and Netanyahu will not stand in opposition to each other. Israel seems to think that the United States of America won't be able to punish its battalion, since the US president has already stated that he supports Zionist Israel without reservation.

 

URL:    https://newageislam.com/islam-west/us-sanctions-netza-yehuda-israeli-army-human-rights/d/132210

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