Israeli PM Netanyahu pledges to oppose US sanctions on army units - Adomonline.com

Earlier, the Axios news site said the US would target Israel’s Netzah Yehuda battalion over alleged human rights violations in the occupied West Bank.

When asked last week about reports that US military aid to the Israel Defense Forces’ (IDF) units could be cut over allegations of human rights abuses in the occupied West Bank, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said: “I’ve made determinations; you can expect to see them in the days ahead”.

The Israeli military said Netzah Yehuda was operating in accordance with international law.

Israel’s Defence Minister Yoav Gallant called on the US to withdraw its intention to sanction Netzah Yehuda, saying the world was watching the ties between the US and Israel more closely than ever.

On Saturday, Axios cited three US sources with knowledge of the issue as saying that Mr Blinken was expected to announce measures against Netzah Yehuda within days.

The IDF later said it regretted Mr Assad’s death and that the Netzah Yehuda commander would be “reprimanded”over it

Last year, a group of US officials known as the “Israel-Leahy vetting forum” looked into at least a dozen allegations made against Israeli units, including the Netzah Yehuda battalion, a former senior US official told the BBC.