A special State Department panel told Secretary of State Antony Blinken that the U.S. should restrict arms sales to Israeli military units that have been credibly accused of human rights abuses. He has not taken any action.

A special State Department panel recommended months ago that Secretary of State Antony Blinken disqualify multiple Israeli military and police units from receiving U.S. aid after reviewing allegations that they committed serious human rights abuses.

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.

The incidents under review mostly took place in the West Bank and occurred before Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel. They include reports of extrajudicial killings by the Israeli Border Police; an incident in which a battalion gagged, handcuffed and left an elderly Palestinian American man for dead; and an allegation that interrogators tortured and raped a teenager who had been accused of throwing rocks and Molotov cocktails.

Recommendations for action against Israeli units were sent to Blinken in December, according to one person familiar with the memo. “They’ve been sitting in his briefcase since then,” another official said.

  • Llewellyn@lemm.ee
    201·
    8 months ago

    They have no problems with sanctioning war criminals of my country (Russia) (rightfully so). But Israel suddenly has carte blanche.

    I know i know, It’s not about justice, it’s about geopolitics.

    • LibertyLizard@slrpnk.net
      8·
      8 months ago

      As someone who really wanted to believe in the myth of international human rights that the US claims to support, it is quite painful to watch.

      I see a lot of people saying we should just go mask off and admit it’s all about geopolitics but is that really better? I’d rather see leaders try to live up to their lofty rhetoric than to abandon it.

      • Asafum@feddit.nl
        2·
        8 months ago

        But they won’t live up to their rhetoric because geopolitics is “too important.” So all we will ever do is get lies which further erodes public support of, and faith in, our government.

        A painful truth is more honorable than a lofty lie. They should treat us like adults.

  • John Richard@lemmy.world
    132·
    8 months ago

    Of course he is… the US routinely ignores reports when it is police or prison officials raping and torturing people too. The FBI could hire 100 new federal agents, and I’d be surprised if they found one that actually cared about their job, while the 99 new agents sat around or started their own gangs that they could then occasionally find some patsy to send to prison so they can then request some boats and trucks for further “investigations.”

  • xenomor@lemmy.world
    92·
    8 months ago

    In a just world, ghouls like Blinken would hang for the material contributions they made to crimes against humanity like those the US and Israel are prosecuting.