An Israeli army battalion, Netzah Yehuda, may, among other things, be excluded from receiving US financial support. The US has never imposed sanctions on the Israeli army before. Numerous media outlets are reporting that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to announce sanctions against a battalion of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). The unit, known as Netzah Yehuda (Judea Forever), has been accused of human rights violations against Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. According to the Associated Press news agency, the US has been investigating five army units for serious human rights violations. These sanctions, however, would only apply to this unit, imposing two restrictions: Firstly, no US military aid would go to Netzah Yehuda; secondly, its participation in training programs financed by the US would be limited. The Israeli government has already declared that it will oppose the sanctions. What is Netzah Yehuda? The Netzah Yehuda battalion was established in the late 1990s as a special religious unit, with specific conditions to facilitate military service for ultra-orthodox Jews (Haredim). The men are given time for prayer and religious studies, their food is kosher, and contact with female soldiers is very limited. The battalion is part of the Kfir Infantry Brigade, which says it numbers around 1,000 soldiers in total. The majority of the ultra-orthodox community opposes compulsory military service, making this a contentious issue. Many of the soldiers in the battalion joined voluntarily because Haredim have always been exempt from military service in Israel. Those who attended a yeshiva (a religious school) up to a certain age, for instance, cannot be called up into the IDF. However, more and more politicians are calling for the rule to be changed. Israel's Supreme Court ruled back in 1998 that it was discriminatory. And since October 2023, with the start of the war in Gaza against the militant group Hamas — which the US, EU, and others designate a terrorist group — thousands of Haredim have volunteered for military service. Rallying point for radical settlers? The unit is made up of both ultra-orthodox and religious-nationalist Israelis. These include radical settlers from the occupied West Bank who have close ties to the parties of right-wing extremist government ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir. According to the US news website Axios, more and more of the so-called "Hilltop Youth" have joined the battalion over the years. This group consists of young, radical, sometimes violent settlers. Just last week, the EU sanctioned the Hilltop Youth for their attacks on Palestinians. Netzah Yehuda was originally stationed in the occupied West Bank, but it was relocated to northern Israel at the end of 2022. The battalion has now also been deployed in the war in the Gaza Strip. What exactly is the battalion accused of? The Times of Israel reports that Netzah Yehuda has been linked to right-wing extremism and violence against Palestinians. According to the Axios website, the battalion first came to the attention of the US government in 2022, with incidents of violence against Palestinian civilians. Members of the battalion are said to have detained an almost 80-year-old man, Omar Assad, and kept him bound and gagged for hours. Assad, a Palestinian-American, died a few hours later of a stress-induced heart attack. As reported by the Washington Post and other outlets, an autopsy found that this was likely brought on by his being manhandled. The IDF condemned the incident at the time, describing it as a "moral failure," and a poor decision on the part of those responsible. Two officers were dismissed and a third was reprimanded, but no criminal charges were brought. The incident attracted attention because of the man's dual nationality, his advanced age, and because the US called for an investigation. However, human rights activists can cite numerous other cases of alleged mistreatment and torture of Palestinians. How has Israel reacted? The Israeli government has expressed outrage at reports of impending sanctions. On Saturday evening, President Benjamin Netanyahu posted on X (formerly Twitter): "Sanctions must not be imposed on the Israel Defense Forces!" and declaring that his government was working to prevent any such measures. His post continued: "At a time when our soldiers are fighting the monsters of terror, the intention to impose sanctions on an IDF unit is the height of absurdity and a moral low." The Israeli military has stated that it is not aware of any sanctions against any of its units, and said: "If a decision is made on the matter, it will be reviewed." Is the US considering further sanctions? Sanctions against the Israeli army are a new development, but the US has previously imposed sanctions against Israel, such as recently against extremist settlers, and against the right-wing extremist Bentzi Gopstein, an ally of Itamar Ben Gvir, the far-right minister for national security. The US also put on its sanctions list two organizations that provide financial support for sanctioned extremist settlers. Their assets in the US have been blocked. US citizens and others in the US are also forbidden from engaging in any transactions with sanctioned organizations and individuals.

Israel's leadership has voiced indignation after reports that Washington intends to announce sanctions against an Israeli military battalion.  The Israeli government has responded with indignation after a report that the United States plans to sanction a West Bank unit of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Under the reported plan, members of the Netzah Yehuda unit — which is accused of human rights breaches — would be barred from receiving US military support or training. A report by the US news outlet Axios said it had information from three US government sources that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken would announce the sanctions within days.  The decision is based on incidents that all took place in the West Bank and occurred before the October 7 Hamas terror attack on Israel, the report said. The unit was withdrawn from the West Bank in 2022. It reportedly comes after an assessment of several IDF and police units accused of human rights violations. The other units will not be sanctioned after they remedied their behavior, Axios said. The decision would comply with the 1997 "Leahy Law," which bans foreign aid and defense training programs for foreign security and military units that are credibly guilty of human rights violations. "Sanctions must not be imposed on the Israel Defense Forces," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on X.  He added that his government would oppose such measures with all possible means. "At a time when our soldiers are fighting the monsters of terror, the intention to impose sanctions on an IDF unit is the height of absurdity and a moral low," Netanyahu wrote. Member of the Israeli war Cabinet Benny Gantz said imposing the sanctions would send the wrong message "to our common enemies" and set a dangerous precedent. "The 'Netzah Yehuda' battalion is an inseparable part of the Israel Defense Forces," he wrote on X. "It is subject to military law and is responsible for operating in full compliance with International law."   

The United States has imposed new sanctions on Iran in favor of Israel. The sanctions have been imposed on a number of individuals and organizations in Iran. The US slapped new sanctions Thursday on 16 people and two entities associated with Iran’s drone attack on Israel. US President Joe Biden made the announcement on Thursday (April 18). This information has been given in a notification on the White House website. "We helped defeat this attack, and today (Thursday) , we are holding Iran accountable—imposing new sanctions and export controls on Iran," Biden said in a statement. "Less than a week ago, Iran launched the world's largest missile and drone attacks against Israel. Together with our allies and partners, the United States defended Israel. The United States is committed to Israel's security," Biden added.  

Israel's top diplomat thanked "friends for their support and assistance" and said Iran needed to be stopped before it was too late. Israel’s Foreign Minister Israel Katz on Thursday welcomed news that EU leaders would widen sanctions against Iran. "This is an important step to pull the teeth out of the snake," Katz wrote on X, formerly Twitter. He thanked "all our friends for their support and help." Katz wrote: "Iran must be stopped now be stopped now before it's too late."  In the early hours of Thursday morning, European Council President Charles Michel announced that the EU would widen the scope of sanctions on Iran, specifically targeting its drone and missile producers. EU leaders have been meeting at a two-day summit in Brussels to discuss Middle East tensions, following Iran's weekend attack on Israel involving hundreds of drones and missiles, among other issues. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has tasked his staff with drawing up new measures. It is not a simple step, however, as the EU has already targeted those responsible for making drones that Iran has sold to Russia for use in its war against Ukraine.  Borrell said that proxy forces backed by Iran in Lebanon, Iraq and Syria could also be targeted with sanctions.  

The sanctions imposed by the US and the European Union on Friday, against several people and companies for supporting Russia 's war in Ukraine also included several companies from China, the Voice of America (VOA) reported. Although most of the sanctions were against Russians and Russian firms, the US and EU measures also included Chinese individuals and companies based in mainland Chinese cities as well as Hong Kong for supplying the Russian military. Moreover, they also included sanctions against Russian prison officials over the suspicious death of opposition leader Alexey Navalny. Russia's foreign ministry denounced the sanctions as "illegal" and said it would respond by banning some EU citizens who provided military assistance to Ukraine from entering Russia, according to VOA. Chinese officials did not issue an immediate response to the sanctions. However, China's foreign ministry spokesperson, Mao Ning, commented on the expected sanctions on Tuesday at a regular briefing and said China follows an "objective and impartial position on the Ukraine crisis" and has "worked actively to promote peace talks." She further said that they "have not sat idly by, still less exploited the situation for selfish gains." Moreover, Ukrainian officials and media reports have also accused Chinese companies of supplying key electronics and dual-use technologies, including drone components, to Russia's military since its invasion of Ukraine two years ago. However, Beijing has denied their claim, according to VOA. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen preempted Friday's official announcement on social media, stating, "I welcome the agreement on our 13th sanctions package against Russia. We must keep degrading Putin's war machine. With 2000 listings in total, we keep the pressure high on the Kremlin. We are also further cutting Russia's access to drones." Reportedly, the sanctioned individuals and companies are banned from doing business with US or European firms. However, legal and political analysts disagreed on the effectiveness of the sanctions. Lawyer Mark Handley, a partner at the Philadelphia-headquartered law firm Duane Morris LLP, said being sanctioned will certainly affect their international business. "Things like international insurance companies or shipping could get very complicated once they are on the sanctions list." However, Pieter Cleppe, editor-in-chief for BrusselsReport.eu, told VOA, "Historical research has shown that sanctions mostly fail, especially when prolonged, as is the case with Russia. The targeted country learns to cope with them." He added, "While sanctions may impoverish ordinary Russians, they have failed to halt the Russian offensive, which should be the goal." The Yermak-McFaul International Working Group on Russian Sanctions and the Ukrainian think tank KSE Institute published a report in January, showing that sanctioned technology has still been reaching Russia's military through third-country intermediaries, which the EU and the US hope the fresh measures will stop. Junhua Zhang, senior assistant researcher at the Brussels-based European Institute for Asian Studies, said the EU's highest expectation "is for China to align with the EU in resisting Russia's aggression, which is unrealistic. The EU's minimum expectation is for Chinese companies not to work for Russia, but strictly speaking, only fools would have such an expectation." "Just consider (Chinese President) Xi Jinping sees Putin as his best friend, and those below him will act accordingly, a point that Europeans also recognize," Zhang added, as reported by VOA. However, others argued that sanctions on Chinese firms could push Beijing to reconsider. Aliona Hlivco, a former Ukrainian lawmaker and managing director at the London-based think tank the Henry Jackson Society, said that sanctions against Chinese companies could prove useful in deterring Russia's war on Ukraine. "China is currently attempting to improve relations with the West, so reinforcing China's compliance with international norms could be opportune," Hlivco said. It is pertinent to mention that the EU is China's second-largest trading bloc partner after the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. In 2023, while Russia lost most of its European market owing to the sanctions, the bilateral trade between China and Russia hit a record high of USD 240 billion, a year-on-year increase of 26.3 per cent, VOA reported. However, trade between the US and China in 2023 fell for the first time since 2019 by 11 per cent to USD 664 billion, according to customs data. According to the Commerce Department, the US imported more goods from Mexico than China for the first time in 20 years.   Source: Dailyhunt

The US Treasury Department has announced new sanctions against 10 Hamas members, operatives and financial facilitators, including a key commander within the group.  The sanctions target individuals based both in Gaza and elsewhere, including Sudan, Turkey, Algeria and Qatar.  "The United States is taking swift and decisive action to target Hamas' financiers and facilitators following its brutal and unconscionable massacre of Israeli citizens, including children," Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in a statement.  The announcement coincided with President Joe Biden's visit to Tel Aviv for talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and others.  "The US Treasury has a long history of effectively disrupting terror finance, and we will not hesitate to use our tools against Hamas," Yellen said. The Treasury said its targets included "a secret Hamas investment portfolio" involving a financial facilitator tied to Iran and a Gaza-based virtual cryptocurrency exchange.

The US said it has no plans to lift sanctions on Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu, appearing to backtrack on comments made a day earlier by President Joe Biden while he attended the Group of Seven summit in Japan. Speaking to reporters in Washington on Monday, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller denied the US government was entertaining the idea of lifting sanctions on Li. China has rebuffed Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s request to meet Li next month at a defense forum in Singapore because of the sanctions.  “No, we are not,” Miller said when asked if the State Department was considering lifting the sanctions. He added that Biden “made clear that we are not planning to lift any sanctions on him or on China more broadly.” Asked on Sunday whether the US would lift sanctions on Li so he could meet Austin, Biden said: “That’s under negotiation right now.” More broadly, Biden voiced optimism that US-China relations would “begin to thaw very shortly” after the shooting down of an alleged Chinese spy balloon thwarted positive momentum stemming from a meeting between the US president and Chinese leader Xi Jinping last year. Tensions remain high on a number of fronts, with China accusing the US of seeking to contain its rise by restricting access to advanced technology and supporting Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its territory.  Despite the heated rhetoric, the White House has started engaging with China on multiple fronts of late. US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan met China’s top diplomat Wang Yi in Vienna earlier this month, and China’s Commerce minister Wang Wentao is set to meet this week with both US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo in Washington and US Trade Representative Katherine Tai in Detroit. Source: Bloomberg

Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia Andrey Rudenko said, "Western sanctions against Russia have served as a catalyst for trade with India." In an interview with RIA Novosti, he said, "India and Russia have accelerated transition to payments in national currencies and development of a self-reliant transport and financial infrastructure." Notably, last year, bilateral trade and economic cooperation between the two countries received a powerful impetus and mutual trade reached almost USD 30 billion. Rudenko also said that both countries are accelerating the transition to settlements in national currencies and the joint development of self-sufficient transport and financial infrastructure. "I am confident that the upward trend will continue this year," added the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister. Responding to Russia's plan to further increase the volume of oil supplies to India, Rudenko said, "We will continue to export as much oil to India as it needs to ensure its own energy security. Russian energy companies ensure the fulfillment of relevant requests as soon as possible." It is pertinent to note that India has not joined the "price ceiling" imposed by the West on oil from Russia. "Therefore, the contract price for the shipment of our fuel to Indian companies is formed, as it should be in a civilized economic community, by market methods," said Rudenko. Speaking about Russia's plan to complete the delivery of S-400 missile systems to India, he said, "As for the supply of military products to India, this work is being carried out on schedule and will be completed within the time frame stipulated by the contractual obligations of the parties." Talking about preparations made for the annual summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said, "The leaders of our countries regularly discuss topical issues on the bilateral and international agenda. Such a reconciliation of watches is carried out in various formats and when it is dictated by the logic of the especially privileged strategic partnership between Russia and India.  Leaders do not need to artificially demonstrate the strength of Russian-Indian relations, which are based on solid historical and cultural roots, mutual respect and consideration of each other's security interests." 

EU leaders gathering in Brussels for their last meeting of 2022 had busy agenda dealing with internal disagreements and a subsidy spat with the United States. A corruption scandal also overshadowed the event. European Union leaders ended their year much as it started, with a meeting focused on Russia's war in Ukraine. At a European Council summit in Brussels on Thursday, the latest developments in the war and ways to help Ukraine get through this winter were high on the agenda. Fresh sanctions on Moscow were approved despite disagreements over easing the export of Russian agricultural products and fertilizers through European ports. EU leaders also reached an agreement on a 15% minimum tax on large, multinational businesses. EU's ninth round of sanctions An agreement was reached over a new package of sanctions against Russia which is set to be confirmed in writing on Friday. Full details were not revealed but the sanctions are expected to include travel bans and asset freezes on close to 200 more Russian officials and military officers, as proposed by the European Commission last week. The bloc is also likely to ban the delivery of drone engines to both Russia and Iran, which has been accused of providing "kamikaze" drones for deployment against Ukrainian civilian targets. Pleas from some countries such as the Netherlands and Belgium to be exempt from previous sanctions on importing Russian fertilizer were discussed in sideline meetings after threatening to hold up the new sanctions. Poland and some Baltic states were concerned relaxing them would allow Russian oligarchs who own fertilizer businesses to dodge EU sanctions against them. "Ambassadors agreed in principle on a sanctions package against Russia as part of the EU's ongoing support for Ukraine," the EU's Czech presidency tweeted.  Minimum tax rate deal approved despite opposition The bloc also gave its approval to join the international plan, with almost 140 countries signed up, to set a minimum tax rate of 15% on multinational businesses. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called it a rare moment of satisfaction. The agreement aims to stop countries from slashing taxes to attract companies. The plan had been met with opposition from Poland.  Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki accused the EU of blackmailing his country by linking the tax plan with an €18-billion ($19-billion) package of financial aid for Ukraine. "Combining aid for Ukraine with such distant topics which have nothing to do with aid like corporate tax is unnecessary, it is a mistake and an attempt at blackmail," Morawiecki said. EU facing subsidy race with US French President Emmanuel Macron said Thursday that the EU would have to move more quickly to head off the threat to its industry from planned US subsidies. Arriving at the EU summit in Brussels, Macron said the leaders would discuss their response to US President Joe Biden's Inflation Reduction Act. "To maintain fair competition," Macron said, Europe must simplify its own subsidy rules faster "to respond, to be the equivalent of what the Americans have done." The $430 billion act, which grants consumers tax credits for US-produced electric vehicles and other green products, has triggered fears it could disadvantage EU-based companies and tempt businesses to relocate to the United States. Brussels has previously warned the subsidies might violate World Trade Organization rules. But, with US President Joe Biden refusing to change course beyond some promised "tweaks" EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed ahead of the summit to loosen state aid rules in renewable energy and clean tech to help the block compete with the US. On Wednesday German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, whose country is the EU's main car exporter, Europe was united in the dispute, but should solve it through talks "rather than a big conflict". Corruption in the European Parliament Also, overshadowing the summit was the corruption scandal in the EU parliament. Days before the EU leaders meeting, Belgian prosecutors charged Eva Kaili, a Greek member of the European Parliament, and three others with allegedly accepting bribes from Qatar in exchange for promoting policies friendly to the Gulf state. The European Union first needs to know all the relevant facts and find out about all the persons involved in an ongoing corruption probe by Belgian authorities linked to Qatar, French President Emmanuel Macron said.

Foreign ministers of EU countries agreed further sanctions against Tehran over its crackdown on regime critics. An anticipated decision on new measures against Moscow was delayed. EU foreign ministers on Monday imposed a new round of sanctions against individuals and organizations over human rights abuses in Iran. The bloc also blacklisted eight drone makers and airforce commanders in response to Tehran's supply of drones to Russia. "We are targeting those responsible for this continued repression against protesters," EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said.  "Also there is the support of Tehran to Russia and responding to the delivery of Iranian drones to Russia." The EU ministers said in a statement: "These weapons provided by Iran are being used indiscriminately by Russia against Ukrainian civilian population and infrastructure causing horrendous destruction and human suffering." The EU measures hit top Iranian security officials and a hardline cleric. The Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), its director and a news anchor were targeted by the new sanctions for airing forced confessions of detainees.  No deal on new Russia sanctions yet The foreign ministers were also set to discuss the bloc's ninth package of sanctions against Moscow, which would place an additional 200 individuals and entities on the sanctions list. But they postponed the adoption of a new package of measures against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine to later this week. The targets are said to include government ministers, lawmakers, regional governors, and political parties. Successive rounds of sanctions against Russia have targeted trade sectors as well as individuals and entities linked to the invasion, war crimes, and the attempted annexation of Ukrainian territory. The ministers, however, agreed to top up a €2-billion (roughly $2.1-billion) fund to finance weapons purchases that has been used for Ukraine in recent months.  EU responds to executions in Iran The announcement of new sanctions came as Iran executed a second protester, Majidreza Rahnavard, on Monday. The death in September of an Iranian Kurdish woman, Jina Mahsa Amini, while in police custody sparked protests across Iran. The 22-year-old had been detained for allegedly violating an Islamic dress code that requires women to wear a headscarf. Western governments have already imposed sanctions against Iran over the protests, with the EU targeting the "inner circle" of the country's powerful Revolutionary Guard. The UK and Canada have already announced sanctions in direct response to the use of the death penalty against protesters. EU diplomats in October agreed on sanctions against Iran in response to recent drone strikes in Ukraine using hardware believed to be supplied by Tehran.