US investigates Israeli army unit abuses against Palestinian detainees: The Guardian

Ahram Online , Tuesday 22 Oct 2024

An Israeli military unit that has been accused of human rights abuses against Palestinian detainees is reportedly under investigation by the US State Department, in a move that could lead to it being barred from receiving assistance, according to The Guardian.

Israeli soldiers gather at the gate to Sde Teiman. AP
Israeli soldiers gather at the gate to Sde Teiman. AP

 

The inquiry into the activities of Force 100, a unit inside the Israeli army, was instigated following a spate of allegations that Palestinians held under its guard at a detention centre have been subject to torture and brutal mistreatment, including sexual assault, Axios reported on Monday.

The investigation – a rare occurrence on the part of the US toward Israel – could result in the unit being penalized under a landmark piece of legislation known as the Leahy Law. This law prohibits the state and defence departments from helping foreign security force units credibly accused of human rights abuses, The Guardian reported.

Nine members of Force 100 are the subject of a criminal investigation over allegations that they sexually assaulted a prisoner at the Sde Teiman detention camp in the Negev desert, which human rights groups have dubbed “the Israeli Guantanamo,” The Guardian explained.

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