Four US State Department Bureaus Say Israel Violates Human Rights

The question that arises is can the US be firm with Israel if there is concrete evidence that Israel violates human rights?

(PHOTO BY ROBERTO SCHMIDT / AFP)

A group of protesters stood outside the home of United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Virginia, on January 27, 2023. They carried posters protesting the US government's policy in handling the situation in Gaza.

WASHINGTON, SUNDAY — The United States State Department is still conducting an investigation into Israel regarding alleged violations of human rights against its citizens Palestine during the Hamas-Israel war. If proven, the US could stop funding and weapons assistance.

So far, reports have been received from seven bureaus in the US Department of State. Four of the bureaus said, Israel was unable to prove that they had not violated human rights.

These files were obtained by the Reuters news agency from insiders at the US State Department and published on Sunday (28/4/2024). Apart from the seven bureaus, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is still waiting for results from other bureaus and units.

In accordance with orders from US President Joe Biden, Blinken must present the report before US DPR on May 5.

Also read: US hints at imposing sanctions on Israeli battalions

The four US State Department bureaus that stated that Israel did not appear to uphold human rights while defending itself from Hamas attacks were the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Employment; Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration; the Bureau of Justice on Global Crimes, and the Bureau of International Organizations.

Their report states that there have been at least eight cases of human rights violations against Palestinian citizens committed by Israel since the war with Hamas began in October 2023. These examples include the intentional targeting of civilian infrastructure and facilities by the Israeli military multiple times, including those that are protected, injuring civilians in order to gain military advantage, failing to investigate or take action on reports of human rights violations committed by military personnel, and killing journalists and social workers.

"The Israeli military has also blocked social aid for Palestinian residents in Gaza 11 times," said the anonymous source.

Also read: Hamas Ready to Recognize Israel and Lay Down Weapons

AFP

Residents of Gaza, Palestine, carry social aid packages through the rubble of the Israeli attack, April 23, 2024.

There is also a report from the Political and Military Affairs Bureau that explains the risks if the US stops its aid to Israel. This will increase the risk of threats, including from Iran and other armed groups. However, the report from the bureau does not explain the situation regarding the use of US weapons by the Israeli military.

Meanwhile, US Ambassador to Israel Jack Lew stated that he guarantees Israel's statement to be true. He trusts that Israel does not misuse aid from the US.

Also read: More and more Elite University Students in the United States Support Palestine

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), an independent agency, also provided a report to the US Foreign Ministry. They stated that the Israeli government itself acknowledged that the number of fatalities exceeded 32,000, two-thirds of whom were children and women.

"This is clearly a violation of international rules," said a report from USAID. After the release of this report, the death toll in the Gaza Strip reached 34,000.

National memorandum

The Democratic Party faction in the US Parliament released a National Security Memorandum (NSM) in February 2024. They began to question the possibility of Israel having exceeded acts of self-defense in response to the Aqsa Storm attack carried out by Hamas on October 7, 2023. This faction sees that Israel is increasingly inclined to take genocidal or ethnic cleansing actions against Palestinian citizens.

Also read: Israel's impunity, Iran's progress, Palestine's neglect

The U.S. has the Leahy Law, which asserts that all types of aid to other countries - whether in the form of funding, weaponry, or technology - must not be used to violate human rights. This rule also applies in times of war or other emergency situations. In warfare, international law must still be obeyed, including the protection of civilian populations.

AP PHOTO/ALEX BRANDON

A member of the US House of Representatives from the Democratic Party, Rashida Tlaib (left), and Marc Veasey, observed a moment of silence in Washington DC on November 7, 2023, a month after Hamas attacked Israel and triggered a war in the region.

The first investigation was conducted on the Netzah Yehuda Battalion. This Israeli military unit composed of ultra-Orthodox individuals is accused of committing violence against Palestinian residents in the West Bank.

However, NSM did not mention the possibility of stopping the supply of weapons to Israel. The US Congress only asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to make a written agreement that countries receiving US assistance will not use it in actions that violate human rights.

Also read: Indonesia and China Support Palestine at the UN

Opinion is increasingly divided within Western governments. The March 30, 2024 edition of the British newspaper, Guardian, reported that government lawyers questioned Israel's commitment to respecting international law.

"If there is concrete evidence of Israel violating human rights, the British government must take firm action," said Alicia Kearns, a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the British House of Commons. (REUTERS)