US-Israel Relations: Will US Sanction The IDF?

The Biden Administration is very anti-Israel and is not even hiding it. US-Israel relations are plummeting like a rock into a well.

US Prepares to Sanction Israel

For the first time in the history of the relations between Israel and the USA: US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, is expected to announce sanctions on the Netzah Yehuda Battalion*. This is against the background of alleged violation of human rights of Arabs in Judea and Samaria. Among other things, it is thought the Americans may prohibit the transfer of Made in the USA military aid to the battalion. And its officers and soldiers would be prevented from training with the American army.

*The IDF (Israel Defense Forces) 97th Netzah Yehuda Battalion, previously known as Nahal Haredi, is a battalion in the Kfir Brigade of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) operating primarily in Judea and Samaria regions. The purpose of the battalion is to allow Haredi Jewish men, consisting of groups within ultra-orthodox Judaism that are characterized by their strict interpretation of religious sources and their accepted halakha-Jewish law, and traditions, in opposition to more accommodating or modern values and practices, to serve as combat soldiers in the Israeli military by creating an atmosphere conducive to their religious convictions, within a framework that is strictly observant of Halakha.

US-Israel Relations law: Netzah Yehuda Battalion
Netzah Yehuda Battalion emblem

After having already imposed sanctions on “settlers*,” and not for the first time, the Biden administration is about to impose sanctions on Israel. This is the same administration that lifted sanctions on Iran, the world’s number one state terror sponsor.

* “Settlers,” a derogatory term used for Jews living in the Judea and Samaria regions.

Left-Leaning Crowd Never Slumber Against Israel

One can say, this is the successful work of the conglomerate Left that is constantly working with the Biden team to undermine Israel in any way possible.

Israel’s Response

In response to a report that sanctions will be imposed on the Netzah Yehuda Battalion, Itamar Ben Gvir, Israel’s Minister of National Security said: “Sanctions on our soldiers are an extremely serious matter and constitute a crossing of a red line. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant must back Netzah Yehuda. He is expected not to submit to the American dictates and the battalion fighters must be fully supported. If not, we will include them into the Israel Border Police force, ready to receive this important battalion as heroes.”

Leftist Organization Dreams Come Through

In Israel, there are several lefty organizations that work against the interests of the country. Their aim is to defeat conservatives and support lefty ideals.

Three of these organizations are:

  • B’Tselem, a Jerusalem-based non-profit documents “human rights violations” in Judea and Samaria. They often operate in an abusive and arrogant way, twisting truth into falsehoods for their propaganda machine.
  • Breaking the Silence, an Israeli NGO, was established by IDF veterans, whose intent is to refrain from serving. They document (often falsified) recounts from discharged Israeli military personnel and reservists, about their service experiences in Judea and Samaria
  • Peace Now, an NGO liberal advocacy and activist group that aims to promote the disastrous ‘two-state solution’ idea.

These groups want to bring their dreams to fruition by leveraging the Biden Administration’s helpful hand.

If this happens, the Biden administration would be seen as openly serving the extreme Israeli anti-Zionism-anti-Israel-sovereignty Left.

Could US-Israel Relations Fail on Hearsay?

For the first time in the history of Israel-US relations, an American president considers imposing sanctions not on “settlers,” not on a right-wing organization, but on an IDF battalion, a military unit tasked with defending and protecting Israel. This is crossing a red line, something that should be the nail in the coffin in the alliance between the two countries.

Blinken Netanyahu US-Israel Relations. Image from CC Youtube video screenshot.
Blinken Netanyahu US-Israel Relations. Image from CC Youtube video screenshot.

There Is Always First Time for Which Speak Up

The people of Israel expect that Ministers Galant, Benny Gantz and the opposition leader MK Yair Lapid, who constantly raise the issue of recruiting ultra-Orthodox men into to the IDF forces, will speak against this delusional anti-Semitic decision of the Biden administration to attack the ultra-Orthodox battalion “Netzah Yehuda.”

Netzah Yehuda sacrificed its best commanders and fighters for the people of Israel in the current Swords of Iran War against the Nazi-like, barbaric terror enemy, Hamas.

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared, “It is forbidden to impose sanctions on the Israel Defense Forces! In recent weeks, I have been working against the imposition of such sanctions on Israeli citizens, including in my conversations with senior American government officials. At a time when our soldiers are fighting the terror monsters, the intention to impose a sanction on an IDF unit is the height of absurdity and a moral low. The government headed by me will act by all means against these moves.”

Welcome Those Who Say and Do

Also and hopefully, that Brothers in Arms, also known as Achim Laneshek and Brothers and Sisters in Arms, an organization of IDF reserve men and women, operating as part of the protests against the judicial reform being promoted by the thirty-seventh government of Israel headed by Benjamin Netanyahu, who carry the national-civilian flag for demanding the recruitment of the ultra-Orthodox sector into the IDF, will work to raise millions of shekels for the battalion, which is the spearhead of the ultra-Orthodox who are serving in the IDF.

Welcome those who say and do.

Fair-Weather Allies

When you have an ally that turns its back on you, unpredicted ingratiating surprises are pulled out of the hat.

The American BDS (Boycott, Divest, Sanction Israel) moves against certain men, mostly religious Jews who live in the Judea and Samaria regions, were rather shushed. When you do not speak up, you must not be surprised to next be hit with sanctions against Netzah Israel Battalion.

If you shush about the Netzah Israel Battalion sanctions, next you will receive sanctions against the IDF Golani Brigade, IDF infantry brigade that is subordinated to the 36th Division and traditionally associated with the Northern Command.

If you do not stand up and you keep quiet about the Golani Brigade sanctions you will be hit with sanctions against the paratroopers. And if you do not stand up and you shush about the paratroopers’ sanctions you will receive sanctions against the Israel Air Force and against Unit 8200, the IDF Intelligence Corps unit responsible for clandestine operations, collecting signal intelligence and code decryption, counterintelligence, cyberwarfare, military intelligence, and surveillance.

And not being funny, even Major General Yehuda Fox, currently commanding the IDF Central Command, which includes the embattled Judea and Samaria regions, may receive sanctions from the Biden Administration. And other countries may fast join in these BDS moves.

Israel must become the master of its own home.

Anti-Semite Mindset

The nature of anti-Semites is that they don’t like to see Jews strong and able to defend themselves. They prefer to see Jews with their head low, victims of their enemies, or kidnapped in terror tunnels with no way out.US-Israel Relations: Will US Sanction The IDF? 1

… And I Did Not Speak Out …

Martin Niemöller was a prominent Lutheran pastor in Germany, in the 1920s and early 1930s. He sympathized with many Nazi ideas and supported radically right-wing political movements.

But after Adolf Hitler came to power in 1933, Niemöller became an outspoken critic of Hitler’s interference in the Protestant Church. He spent the last eight years of Nazi rule, from 1937 to 1945, in Nazi prisons and concentration camps.

Niemöller is perhaps best remembered for his postwar statement, which begins “First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out … “

Due to the upcoming November 2024 election and the push by pro-Hamas and anti-Israel forces in the Democrat Party sphere, US-Israel relations appear to be at loggerheads. Israel’s fair-weather allies seem intent on knifing Israelis in the back for their decision to elect a conservative government that serves their interests.

Benjamin Netanyahu, his government and a majority of Israelis do appear to be united to repel this latest attack. The only open question is whether the US Administration will come to its senses or show its left-sided weakness.

Nurit Greenger
During the 2006 second Lebanon War, Nurit Greenger, referenced then as the "Accidental Reporter" felt compelled to become an activist. Being an 'out-of-the-box thinker, Nurit is a passionately committed advocate for Jews, Israel, the United States, and the Free World in general. From Southern California, Nurit serves as a "one-woman Hasbarah army" for Israel who believes that if you stand for nothing, you will fall for anything.

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