US Report Uncovers ’Israeli’ Human Rights Violations in Gaza

By Staff, Agencies

A classified report from the US government's watchdog has revealed that "Israeli" occupation forces [IOF] units may have committed “many hundreds” of potential violations of human rights laws in the Gaza Strip, according to a report.

The findings from the State Department’s Office of Inspector General indicate that it could take the Department “multiple years” to review these credible allegations, according to two US officials who spoke to The Washington Post on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the report.

This marks the first time a US government document has acknowledged the extensive scale of the IOF actions in Gaza that could fall under the purview of the Leahy Laws—legislation intended to prevent US security assistance to foreign military units accused of gross human rights violations.

According to the officials, the report's findings have led to skepticism about the likelihood of accountability for "Israel’s" crimes, especially given the backlog of incidents and the review process, which they claim is overly deferential to the IOF.

“What worries me is that accountability will be forgotten now that the noise of the conflict is dying down,” said Charles Blaha, a former State Department official with experience overseeing the Leahy Laws.

While the inspectors declined to comment on the report's specifics, they confirmed its existence on the agency’s website, stating that it contains classified information not available for public viewing.

The report was finalized just before a ceasefire agreement was reached between "Israel" and Hamas, which facilitated the release of "Israeli" captives in exchange for Palestinian detainees and allowed some humanitarian aid into Gaza.

Despite the ceasefire, "Israeli" aggression has continued, with reports of "Israeli" airstrikes claiming at least 104 Palestinians on one of the deadliest days since the ceasefire was enacted.

The Leahy Laws, named after former Senator Patrick J. Leahy, are designed to impose consequences on foreign military units receiving US funding that are found to have committed atrocities such as extrajudicial killings and torture.

"Israel's" ongoing genocidal war in Gaza, which has resulted in claiming lives of nearly 69,000 Palestinians since October 7, 2023, has put the effectiveness of these laws to the test.

High-profile incidents remain under review, including the killings of humanitarian workers and civilians, with no definitive conclusions reached by the US on the use of American weapons in these incidents.

The US provides approximately $3.8 billion in aid to "Israel" annually, which makes it the largest recipient of US aid globally, along with billions more in additional assistance.

The classified report elaborates on how the review process for potential human rights violations by foreign militaries, particularly "Israel", is uniquely designed, allowing for a more prolonged scrutiny compared to other nations facing similar allegations.

The specific protocol, known as the "Israel" Leahy Vetting Forum, involves higher-level US officials and a lengthier process aimed at reviewing incidents allegedly involving the IOF.

Normally, one official can block aid, but US assistance to "Israel" requires a working-group consensus, including pro-"Israel" representatives. As a result, no IOF unit has been denied aid despite documented human rights abuses.

The Biden administration has been criticized for not suspending aid to "Israeli" units linked to human rights abuses, including the detention and death of 78-year-old American Omar Assad, which the IOF called a ‘moral failure’ by its soldiers.