US credibility tested: Secret report details Israeli rights abuses in Gaza

Shafaq News

A classified US State Department report documented hundreds of potential human rights violations committed by Israeli military units in the Gaza Strip, according to details obtained by The Washington Post.

The findings, disclosed by the department’s Office of Inspector General, mark the first time a US government report has formally acknowledged the scale of alleged Israeli abuses under the Leahy Laws — legislation that prohibits American aid to foreign military units implicated in serious human rights violations.

According to The Washington Post, two US officials familiar with the report said the review process could take “several years,” raising fears that accountability may never be reached. The slow pace, they added, reflects a review system that gives Israel exceptional procedural advantages compared with other countries under similar scrutiny.

Former State Department official Charles Blaha, who once oversaw the Leahy Law program, warned that “accountability will be forgotten now that the noise of the conflict is dying down.” The report outlines a special mechanism known as the Israel Leahy Vetting Forum, which requires consensus among US officials — including representatives from the embassy in Jerusalem and the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs — before any Israeli unit can be deemed ineligible for US assistance.

Unlike other foreign militaries, where one official objection can halt funding, Israel’s vetting process requires collective agreement and prior consultation with the Israeli government, giving it an added layer of protection. “To date, the US has not withheld any assistance from any Israeli unit despite clear evidence,” said Josh Paul, a former senior State Department official who resigned over US policy toward Gaza.

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