Late last week, the U.S. House passed a bill seeking to provide 26 billion dollars in aid to Israel to support its fight for their lives against Iran and its terror proxies Hamas and Hezbollah. While the U.S. Senate has not yet held a vote on the measure, Joe Biden is preparing an offensive against our ally – by threatening sanctions against an IDF unit for an event going back to 2022!

On Sunday, international news outlets announced that the Biden administration is considering sanctions on the IDF Netzah Yehuda Battalion.

Netzah Yehuda is a special branch of the Israeli military established so that ultra-Orthodox Jews can serve their country without compromising their deeply held Jewish beliefs. Unlike other units, Netzah Yehuda is an all-male unit (in keeping with ultra-Orthodox prohibitions against physical contact with women who are not their wives). This unique military unit also allows additional time for prayer and religious studies.

With Biden’s sanctions coming just one week after Iran’s recent unprecedented direct attack on Israel, his timing is shocking.

“At a time when our soldiers are fighting terrorist monsters, the intention to impose a sanction on a unit in the IDF is the height of absurdity and a moral low,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wrote. “The government I head will act by all means against these moves.”

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said imposing sanctions “while Israel is fighting for its existence is utter madness.”

Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir said Saturday that imposing “sanctions on our soldiers is a red line.” Ben-Gvir added that he “expects Defense Minister Yoav Gallant not to submit to American dictates” and that the members of Netzah Yehuda “must be fully supported.”

“I call on the U.S. administration to withdraw its intention to impose sanctions on the Netzah Yehuda battalion,” Defense Minister Gallant said in a statement.

On January 12, 2022, an Israel Defense Forces soldier from the Netzah Yehuda battalion set up a checkpoint in the village of Jililya.

Sometime after midnight, Omar As’ad drove his car to the checkpoint. When the IDF asked for his information, As’ad began “loudly and persistently” resisting the security checkpoint guards while also attempting to warn other Arabs of the checkpoint. Resisting IDF attempts to quiet him, As’ad was restrained and taken to a nearby area to wait until an inspection of his vehicle was finished.

When IDF soldiers returned roughly 30 minutes later, As’ad appeared to be sleeping. The soldiers removed the handcuffs from all the Arabs who had been detained, including As’ad, then left the scene, unaware that anything was wrong with the man.

As’ad’s own doctor, Islam Abu Zaher, later testified before Israeli inquiries that As’ad had been in poor health long before he confronted the Israeli soldiers. Though As’ad’s family refused to share his health records, the doctor confirmed that As’ad had a history of diabetes and heart trouble, including open heart surgery, a few years before the incident. An autopsy showed that As’ad died of a heart attack.

The doctor noted that when he examined As’ad’s body, it showed no signs that first aid had been provided. In other words, even the other Arabs who had been with As’ad were unaware he was doing anything other than sleeping.

The Israeli soldiers could not have known of As’ad’s health condition or that his fellow Arabs would not help him once they were unbound. Nevertheless, in a formal military inquiry held in October 2022, the Israeli government dismissed two officers involved, reprimanded the battalion commander, and paid the Arab man’s family 500,000 shekels.

It has been over two years since As’ad’s death, and nearly as long since the Israeli courts acted against the soldiers and compensated As’ad’s family.

So why is Joe Biden bringing this up now? Last week, the U.S. House moved to fund Israel’s defense forces. The Senate has not yet voted on the measure, but I believe Biden’s move is an attempt to claw back the funds the American public and Congress want sent to Israel. And there may be yet another reason ...

“This is part of a planned move to force the State of Israel to agree to the establishment of a Palestinian state and to forsake Israel’s security,” said Israeli Finance Minister Smotrich in a post on X.

“Our friends and our enemies are closely watching the ties between Israel and the United States, now more than ever,” Defense Minister Gallant said. “I call on the U.S. administration to withdraw its intention to impose sanctions on the Netzah Yehuda battalion.”

Israel needs YOUR help more than ever to defend themselves not only against the Arabs seeking their destruction, but also against a Biden regime seeking to split the nation of Israel apart.

Please continue praying for the people of Israel and Jews under attack all over the world.

Mat Staver
Chairman
Christians in Defense of Israel

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SOURCES:

“Gallant: Criticizing entire IDF unit ‘not right path for partners, friends.’” Jewish News Service, April 21, 2024. Jns.org/gallant-criticizing-entire-idf-unit-not-right-path-for-partners-friends/.

“Israel aghast as US said poised to sanction IDF unit with history of abuses.” the Times of Israel, April 21, 2024. Timesofisrael.com/israel-aghast-as-us-said-poised-to-sanction-notorious-idf-unit-netanyahu-a-moral-low/.

Lazaroff, Tovah. “Netanyahu: Absurd for US to Sanction IDF Soldiers as They Fight Terror.” The Jerusalem Post, April 21, 2024. Jpost.com/israel-news/article-798048.

Magid, Jacob. “Israel to pay compensation for death of elderly US-Palestinian man after IDF arrest.” The Times of Israel, October 7, 2022. Timesofisrael.com/israel-to-pay-compensation-over-death-of-elderly-us-palestinian-man-report/.