The US State Department has officially identified five units of the Israeli military as having committed serious human rights violations in the West Bank prior to the recent escalation in Gaza. Despite these findings, the US plans to continue its military support to these units, although one, the Netzah Yehuda battalion, remains under intense scrutiny after the 2022 death of Palestinian-American Omar Assad during a search operation.

This situation marks the first instance of the US government acknowledging human rights abuses by specific Israeli military units. Under the Leahy Law, any foreign military unit implicated in gross human rights violations typically risks losing US military assistance. However, the State Department has stated that four of these units have undertaken corrective measures, though details of these actions have not been disclosed.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared his opposition to any sanctioning of Israel’s military, while US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has indicated that more determinations on this matter could be imminent. The decision regarding the continuation of aid to Netzah Yehuda awaits further consultations with the Israeli government.

These developments occur as tensions escalate over Israel’s role in the ongoing Gaza conflict, which has claimed over 34,000 lives. Netanyahu faces potential charges from the International Criminal Court for war crimes, a move that the US has criticized. The Secretary of State is also expected to report to Congress on the legitimacy of Israeli assurances regarding the use of US-supplied weaponry in accordance with international humanitarian law. This assessment will influence ongoing US military aid to Israel.