Congress Requesting Investigations Into Human Rights Violations By Israeli And Egyptian Armies


Some members of Congress are tired of turning a blind eye to the actions of the Israeli military. According to a report in Politico, Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) and 10 other members of Congress have asked the State Department to investigate allegations of abuse and human rights violations against the militaries of Israel and Egypt.

In a February 17th letter addressed to Secretary of State John Kerry, the group of legislators cite multiple examples of suspected abuse and extrajudicial killings.

Leahy’s involvement is of particular note since it was a law passed with his name that sets conditions on US aid to foreign governments contingent on the behavior of their military. In its simplest reading, the Leahy Law restrict US aid in situations where a foreign military has been demonstrated to be guilty of human rights abuses. In application, the law is much more complex.

Even if a foreign military is found culpable to human right abuses, military aid to that country may still continue with limitations applying only to a particular unit or section of the military. How and when the law is enforced is often kept secret.

Although the letter was sent over a month ago, the news is breaking shortly after an Israeli soldier was filmed executing a Palestinian prisoner at close range. The political fallout could be severe with Israel and US relations already strained. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a terse response through his official Twitter account.

With the secrecy that surrounds it’s enforcement, not to mention the political complexities, it’s difficult to find instances where the Leahy Law has clearly been effective. Amnesty International has argued in the past the provisions set forth in the law are rarely enforced making it “a powerful yet often-overlooked tool” at the disposal of US policymakers.

Currently the State Department is in the process of responding to the letter from Leahy and his colleagues.

Featured image courtesy of Politico.

Jeff is reformed conservative who is happy to be thinking for himself again. He's an aspiring author working on his first book. Follow #Brick_Says