CAIR Calls for Blinken's Resignation Over Israeli Unit Probe

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the largest Muslim civil rights organization in the U.S., has called for Secretary of State Antony Blinken to resign following reports that he has terminated an investigation into Israel's Netzah Yehuda battalion. This battalion was previously found by the State Department to have committed human rights violations in the occupied West Bank. CAIR condemned Blinken's decision as a blatant disregard for U.S. law and a demonstration of loyalty to Israel, with Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell labeling the action as "cowardly" and "morally reprehensible." The investigation into the Netzah Yehuda battalion was initiated after the 2022 death of Omar Assad, a 78-year-old dual American and Palestinian citizen, who died after being detained by Israeli forces. The State Department had called for an inquiry into Assad's death and, in April, concluded that the battalion had committed human rights violations. However, it cleared four other battalions of potential sanctions, citing their remediation of past violations, a move criticized by former State Department officials as an attempt to shield Israel from accountability. Despite the findings, the State Department recently announced that it had determined the violations by Netzah Yehuda had also been "effectively remediated," allowing the battalion to continue receiving U.S. military assistance. Critics argue that this decision undermines U.S. law, particularly the Leahy law, which prohibits military aid to foreign units implicated in human rights abuses. The implications of this decision are significant, as three former commanders of the Netzah Yehuda battalion now hold senior positions in the Israeli military, potentially influencing operations in Gaza. The lack of accountability for the battalion's actions raises concerns about the future of U.S. military assistance and its impact on human rights in the region.