The American news site Axios reported on Saturday April 20 that Washington was planning to impose sanctions on the Israeli battalion Netzah Yehuda, which operates in an occupied West Bank, although the Israeli army said it was not aware of such measures.
The Israeli media also identified the unit which should be targeted as Netzah Yehuda-an infantry battalion founded about a quarter of a century ago to incorporate ultra-Orthodox Jews into the army.
On Friday, the United States announced a new series of sanctions related to Israeli settlers in occupied West Bank, the last sign of the growing frustration of the United States with regard to Netanyahu’s policy, whose coalition government is based on settlers’ parties.
“If someone thinks he can impose sanctions on a unit of (the Israeli army), I will fight him with all my strength,” said Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu in a statement on Sunday.
The Israeli Minister of War, Benny Gantz, said on Sunday in a statement that he had maintained himself with American Secretary of State Antony Blinken and asked him to reconsider the issue.
Gantz said such sanctions would be a mistake because they would harm Israel’s legitimacy in wartime.
