A plume of smoke billows following an Israeli strike in Gaza City. AFP
The findings raise concerns about accountability for Israel's actions, with sources telling The Washington Post that the review process for Israel is unusually lengthy and deferential.
"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.
The report, completed just before a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, highlights a growing backlog of high-profile incidents, including the killing of seven World Central Kitchen workers in April 2024 and the deaths of more than 100 Palestinians near Gaza City in February 2024.
Both cases remain under review, with the Biden administration having flagged them last year, though it has yet to determine whether US weapons were used.
The Leahy Laws, named after former US Senator Patrick Leahy, were designed to halt US aid to foreign military units involved in extrajudicial killings, torture, and other atrocities. Israel's genocidal war on Gaza, which has killed nearly 70,000 Palestinians since October 2023, has tested the laws' enforcement.
The US provides Israel with at least $3.8 billion annually in aid, and the classified report outlines a special protocol for reviewing Israeli human rights violations.
Known as the Israel Leahy Vetting Forum, the process involves senior US officials, including those from the US Embassy in Jerusalem and the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, both of which actively advocate for Israel within the US system. The Israeli government is consulted on each incident and asked to explain any actions it has taken to address the issue.
If a violation is found, the forum can recommend that the military unit be declared "ineligible" for US assistance. However, the Secretary of State must approve this decision. Critics argue that the process is overly complicated, preventing the withholding of US aid despite clear evidence of abuses.
"Since the process is so convoluted, the US has never withheld assistance to any Israeli unit," said Josh Paul, a former State Department official.
Short link: