Relations between the United States and Israel have once again become strained because of Israel's retaliation.
According to the U.S. "Axios News Network" on April 20, three people familiar with the matter revealed that U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is expected to announce sanctions against the IDF Netzah Yehuda (Netzah Yehuda) within a few days, citing the battalion's "human rights violations" in the West Bank.
This is not the first time that the United States has sanctioned Israel for "human rights violations". On 14 March, the United States Department of State announced sanctions against three Israeli individuals and two entities for violence against Palestinians. The background was that, despite several warnings from the United States, Israel was still insisting on attacking Rafah.
This time, the US sanctions have been raised from an individual to a military unit, although the strength is not large, but it is of great significance, and once implemented, it will be the first time that the United States has imposed sanctions on an Israeli military unit.
The U.S. State Department reportedly began investigating the force in late 2022, and its members were involved in multiple incidents of violence against Palestinian civilians, including the death of a Palestinian-American in one incident.
After more than a year of investigation, why did you choose to impose public sanctions at this time? I am afraid that it is because Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu is "disobedient."
The United States' choice of sanctions this time is most likely related to Israel's choice to retaliate against Iran after enduring it for a few days. Originally, the day before Israel attacked Iran proper, it had actually reached an agreement with the United States - to attack Rafah in exchange for retaliation against Iran. But Netanyahu reversed the previous day's decision at a critical moment, not only attacking Iran proper, but also shelling Syria and Iraq at the same time, making the situation in the Middle East instantly highly tense.
Originally, Israel's attack on the Iranian embassy put the United States under pressure from international public opinion. Finally, after Iran's retaliation, the accusations of international public opinion against Iran have made the pressure on the United States a little less. In addition, the degree of Iran's retaliation is still considered to be on the part of the United States in a certain sense, and it is not intended to really provoke a war. In order to "extinguish the fire" for Israel, the United States even offered to attack Rafah in exchange. As a result, Netanyahu did not buy the "heart and lungs" of the United States. On the contrary, after fighting this and that, the situation in the Middle East continued to deteriorate, and even tried to "trap" the United States in the Middle East at one time. As long as the United States gives Israel a "handshake" in the Middle East, Israel will be able to continue to run rampant for another day.
In such a situation, the United States, which has no choice but to take more radical measures to warn Israel.
So, how did Israel react to this decision of the United States?
As soon as the news came out, Netanyahu couldn't hold back, threatening that "sanctions against Israeli forces are unacceptable" and would lead the government to oppose it by all means. Two far-right ministers of the Israeli government even accused the United States of "seriously stepping on the red line" and called the United States "simply crazy."
It's normal for Netanyahu to be angry. Even the United States, the "sponsor", has sanctioned it, and Israel's "faults" can no longer be forcibly whitewashed in the international community. At the possible "negotiating table" in the future, Israel will have one less excuse to stand.
I have to say that judging from Netanyahu's "fierce" tone, I'm afraid this matter is not over yet. In order to threaten the United States, Netanyahu, a madman, is afraid that he will do anything. Let's see how long Netanyahu's "last struggle" lasts.