Israel slams US crackdown as top IDF battalion faces sanctions over claims of human rights abuse

ISRAELI leaders were today said to be “aghast” at an unprecedented US crackdown on one of its key army units over human rights abuses.

America is set to sanction the Israeli Defence Force’s notorious Netzah Yehuda battalion over allegations of killing, persecution and torture of Palestinians.

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu was furious to learn that the IDF Netzah Yehuda battalion was facing sanctionsAFP - Getty

The right-wing, ultra Orthodox Jewish battalion stands accused of appalling violations in Israel’s West Bank territory and is now operating among troops battling Hamas in Gaza.

The sanction plan was revealed as US Congress approved a £21.34 billion military aid package for Israel – including £7.36 billion in humanitarian aid for Gaza.

Curbs have been proposed for the first time, barring the transfer of US weapons or funds to the infantry unit and banning training with American forces.

Angry Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu pledged to fight the proposals today raging: “The IDF must not be sanctioned!

“At a time when our soldiers are fighting terrorist monsters, the intention to issue sanctions against a unit in the IDF is the height of absurdity and a moral low.”

But the US move was applauded by Israel’s enemies who blame violence against Paletinians and land grabs for the spiral of violence across the region.

Netzah Yehuda troops have been blamed for a string of outrages including the 2022 death of 78-year-old Palestinian-American Omar As’ad.

He was handcuffed, blindfolded and left to die in near-freezing conditions.

Fanatical religious zealots fighting for the unit have also been convicted of torturing and abusing Palestinian prisoners.

New horrors unfolded in Gaza today amid reports that at least 13 children from the same family had been killed during weekend airstrikes on Rafah in Gaza.

Wailing mourners were pictured hugging tiny shrouded bodies as Israeli Defence Forces gear up for the bloody final push into their enemy’s last stronghold among 1.4 refugees.

Gaza casualty figures were later updated to a total of 24 children killed in three separate Israeli strikes on Rafah since Friday, according to the Hamas-controlled health authority.

Israeli forces are set to push into the city where evil October 7 mastermind Yayha Sinwar and his henchmen are believed to be hiding.

Meanwhile, satellite images revealed Friday’s Israeli attack on Iran was a “warning shot” missile strike which took out a single ground-to-air missile site.

A sophisticated missile – undetected by ground defences – was fired from outside Itan to wipe out the Russian-built S-300 air defence site protecting the Natanz nuclear base at Isfahan.

Images showed scorch marks caused by the precision strike which showed Iran its most prized atom plant was vulnerable and could be targeted at will.

Iran has played down the report insisting it shot down three “toy” drones launched from inside Iran in a feeble attack which did not merit a response.

The obliterated S-300 radar unit at the Eighth Shekari Air Base in Isfahan was part of an array of defences supposed to be shielding the top-secret Natanz site.

Friday’s single revenge strikeback came six days after Iran launched 320 drones and missiles which were 99 per cent repelled by warplanes and rocket defences.