WASHINGTON: The US State Department said Friday it would not sanction an Israeli army unit involved in the killing of a Palestinian-American, saying Israel had already taken remedial action.
Omar Assad, 78, a grocer who spent most of his adult life in Milwaukee, was on a return visit to the West Bank in January 2022 when he was handcuffed, gagged and blindfolded, dying after lying on the ground for more than an hour on a cold winter night.
The incident was linked to the Israeli army’s Netzah Yehuda, a unit founded in 1999 to encourage recruits from the ultra-Orthodox community, which is largely exempt from compulsory military service.
A State Department panel decided against imposing sanctions on the unit after being presented with information by the government of Israel, which has vocally opposed action against its military amid the ongoing war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
“After thoroughly reviewing that information, we have determined that violations by this unit have also been effectively remediated,” State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said.
“This unit can continue receiving security assistance from the United States of America,” he said.
A US official said that two soldiers involved in the incident, while not ultimately prosecuted, were removed from combat positions and have left the military.
The military has also taken steps “to avoid a recurrence of incidents,” including enhanced screening of recruits and a two-week educational seminar specifically for the unit.
Experts say that Netzah Yehuda has mostly drawn ultra-Orthodox youths who see the military as a way to integrate into Israeli society, but it has also attracted fervent nationalists from the West Bank.
The West Bank, which Israel has occupied since 1967, is home to three million Palestinians alongside some 490,000 Israelis living in settlements considered illegal under international law.
The army concluded that Assad’s death was the result of “a moral failure and poor decision-making on the part of the soldiers.”
It said Assad “refused to cooperate” when stopped by soldiers in the village of Jiljilya and that soldiers tied his hands and gagged him without checking on him later.
It was unclear why soldiers stopped Assad. The Palestinian official news agency Wafa said he died from a stress-induced heart attack.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has voiced anger over foreign pressure on human rights, insisting the country has its own means of justice.
The International Criminal Court in May said it intended to pursue arrest warrants for Netanyahu, his defense minister and Hamas leaders for alleged war crimes in the Gaza war.
US says no sanctions against Israeli military unit in death of Palestinian-American
https://arab.news/5n3f6
US says no sanctions against Israeli military unit in death of Palestinian-American
- Omar Assad, 78, a grocer in the US, was visiting the West Bank in January 2022 when he died after being detained by an Israeli army unit
- US State Department says it's enough that the Israeli military had taken action and that two soldiers involved in the incident have left the service
- The Israeli army concluded that Assad’s death was the result of “a moral failure and poor decision-making on the part of the soldiers”
Military coalition in Yemen condemns attack on commander’s convoy
- Al-Maliki also said the coalition is committed to supporting Yemeni security efforts and pursuing those involved in the attack and bringing them to justice
RIYADH: The Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen condemned on Wednesday an attack that targeted the convoy of a senior commander.
The attack in the Jaoula area of Lahj governorate targeted vehicles under the command of Brigadier General Hamdi Shukri, who heads the second division of the Giants Forces.
Coalition spokesman Major General Turki Al-Maliki said there were numerous deaths injuries and called the ambush “a criminal act that is contrary to all human and moral values.”
He said the coalition, which includes Saudi Arabia, will continue coordinating with the relevant authorities to ensure the security of citizens and maintain stability, Saudi Press Agency reported.
He called for people to work with the Yemeni government and military authorities to confront any sabotage attempts or terrorist operations targeting the security and stability of liberated governorates.
Al-Maliki also said the coalition is committed to supporting Yemeni security efforts and pursuing those involved in the attack and bringing them to justice.
