US says it's reviewing new information about Israeli unit accused of abuses before Gaza war

Secretary of State Antony Blinken says the U.S. has determined that an Israeli subject portion committed gross human-rights abuses against Palestinians successful the West Bank earlier the warfare successful Gaza began six months ago

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. has determined that an Israeli subject portion committed gross human-rights abuses against Palestinians successful the West Bank earlier the warfare successful Gaza began six months ago, but it volition clasp disconnected connected immoderate determination astir assistance to the battalion portion it reviews caller accusation provided by Israel, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said successful a missive to House Speaker Mike Johnson.

The undated letter, obtained by The Associated Press connected Friday, defers a determination by the U.S. whether to enforce a first-ever artifact connected U.S. assistance to an Israeli subject portion implicit its attraction of Palestinians. Israeli leaders, anticipating the U.S. determination this week, person angrily protested immoderate specified assistance restrictions.

Blinken stressed that U.S. subject enactment for Israel’s defence against Hamas and different threats would not beryllium affected by the State Department's last determination connected the 1 unit. Johnson muscled done authorities providing $26 cardinal successful further funds for Israel's defence and for alleviation of the increasing humanitarian catastrophe successful Gaza.

The U.S. declaration concerns a azygous Israeli portion and its actions against Palestinian civilians successful the West Bank earlier Israel's warfare with Hamas successful Gaza began successful October. While the portion is not identified successful Blinken's letter, it is believed to beryllium the Netzah Yehuda, which has historically been based successful the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

The portion and immoderate of its members person been linked to abuses of civilians successful the Palestinian territory, including the decease of a 78-year-old Palestinian American antheral aft his detention by the battalion's forces successful 2022.

Blinken said the Israeli authorities has truthful acold not adequately addressed the abuses by the subject unit. But "the Israeli authorities has presented caller accusation regarding the presumption of the portion and we volition prosecute connected identifying a way to effectual remediation for this unit,” helium wrote.

A 1997 enactment known arsenic the Leahy instrumentality obligates the U.S. to chopped disconnected subject assistance to a overseas service portion that it deems has committed sedate violations of planetary instrumentality oregon quality rights. But the instrumentality allows a waiver if the subject has held the offenders liable and acted to betterment the unit.

The Leahy instrumentality has ne'er been invoked against adjacent state Israel.

The U.S. reappraisal comes arsenic protests and counterprotests implicit American subject assistance for Israel's warfare against Hamas successful Gaza are roiling U.S. assemblage campuses arsenic good arsenic election-year authorities astatine location and relations abroad.

___

Lee contributed from Beijing.