A report has surfaced, indicating that US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken had been presented with a recommendation urging Washington to take action against Israel over allegations of human rights violations. However, no action was taken in response.
The report, published by the investigative website ProPublica on Wednesday, disclosed that a special committee under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had advised the minister that the United States should limit arms sales to Israeli military units accused of human rights violations.
“But Blinken has failed to act on the proposal in the face of growing international criticism of the Israeli military’s conduct in Gaza, according to current and former State Department officials,” ProPublica reported.
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The report highlighted that most of the documented incidents occurred in the West Bank prior to the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7.
These incidents include extrajudicial killings by Israeli border police, including an incident where a battalion’s actions led to the death of an elderly Palestinian-American man, as well as “an allegation that interrogators tortured and raped a teenager who had been accused of throwing rocks and Molotov cocktails.”
According to an informed source cited by the investigative website, recommendations for action against Israeli units were forwarded to Blinken in December. The website quoted a source stating that “these reports have been in his possession ever since.”
A spokesperson from the State Department reportedly emphasized to ProPublica the agency’s commitment to upholding US human rights laws, stating that a thorough review process is necessary, with investigations conducted based on specific facts and standards, irrespective of the country involved.
The revelation of Blinken’s failure to act on the recommendations comes at a critical juncture in US-Israeli relations. More than six months into Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza, which killed and wounded well over 120,000 Palestinians, “President Joe Biden has signaled increased frustration with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the widespread civilian casualties,” the report highlighted.
“Multiple State Department officials who have worked on Israeli relations said that Blinken’s inaction has undermined Biden’s public criticism, sending a message to the Israelis that the administration was not willing to take serious steps,” according to ProPublica.
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The recommendations reportedly originated from a special committee called the ‘Israel Leahy Vetting Forum’, comprising Middle East and human rights experts. Named after former Senator Patrick Leahy, a Democrat from Virginia, this committee was established in accordance with the 1997 laws that mandate the US to suspend aid to any military, foreign, or law enforcement units credibly accused of gross human rights violations.
The Guardian reported earlier this year that while the State Department was reviewing multiple incidents, it refrained from imposing sanctions due to the US government’s uncommon deference towards Israel.
ProPublica noted that “the Israeli government did not respond to a request for comment.”
(The Palestine Chronicle)
