U.S. Senator Proposed Financial Cuts For Israeli Defense Forces
Shayatet 13
United States Democrat senator Patrick Leahy proposed a bill by which the American Congress may cut military aid to three Israeli military units considered responsible of violations of human rights in occupied Palestine. Leahy says that these three units are not accountable for the violation of human rights because there is no system in place to assess them and hold them accountable. If Leahy’s proposition takes effect, this would place Israel along with other national armies who were submitted to such procedures in the recent past: Egypt, Jordan or Pakistan.
According to Israeli officials Leahy was pressed by the voters in his state of Vermont, where Palestinian activists told him to convict the killing of the nine Turks in May 2010 on board of Mavi Marmara, the vessel that was attempting to breach the naval blockade on Gaza Strip.
The senator is said to have come under pressure also in order to condemn the occupation of Gaza in 2008 during operation Cast Lead. The Israeli official said that Israeli embassy in the United States has unsuccessfully lobbied Patrick Leahy, in an attempt to make him change his mind.
Even Israeli minister of defense Ehud Barak met with Leahy two weeks ago in a bid co convince him to drop the legal proposition, explaining him that in Israel the review process in the Israeli army is an autonomous process, and that the grievances of the Palestinians that were prejudiced by the IDF have already been sent to the highest decision offices.
Barak said that the difference between IDF and a terrorist organization is that whenever a Palestinian is hurt by IDF he can complain to the High Court of Justice, and that there is monitoring for IDF actions and accountability too.
Patrick Leahy
Patrick Leahy is the chairman of Judiciary Committee of the Senate, and is a senior member of Appropriations Committee. In the past he has tabled proposals against land mines and has sponsored in 1997 the legislation that prohibits the U.S. government to help military organizations that are guilty of human rights abuses.
The three units that the U.S. Senator wants cut off financial support are, according to Haaretz: Israel Navy Shayetet 13 unit, the undercover unit Duvdevan, and the Israeli air force unit Shaldag.
The three units operate on both West Bank and Gaza Strip. Shayetet 13 unit is the one responsible for the tragic attack on the nine Turks on Mavi Marmara, in May 2010.
Leahy, 71, who has served the Senate for 35 years and was a personal friend of former prime minister Yitzhak Rabin, and has known Ehud Barak for a long time. If the bill promoted by Leahy passes it will become part of the United States program in 2012.
Israel is the most important beneficiary of American aid, and has been like so since 1970s, most of it being military aid. In the 2000s, the aid increased its economic part.
In the region, the United States support Egyptian army, which gets $2.2 billion per year, Jordanian army, which gets $400 million per year, and the Palestinian Authority, which get $500 million per year. Israel received in 2007 $3 billion aid for the IDF only.
Egyptian army’s funds were cut during the revolution in January and February, while Pakistan lost their support as a result of the increasing distrust after the killing of Osama bin Laden on Pakistani territory.
