Leahy Asked State Dept. To Investigate Israeli Human Rights 'Violations'
Source: Politico
Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and 10 House members have asked the Obama administration to investigate claims that the Israeli and Egyptian security forces have committed gross violations of human rights allegations that if prove could affect U.S. military aid to the countries.
In a letter to Secretary of State John Kerry dated Feb. 17, the lawmakers list several examples of suspected human rights abuses, including reports of extrajudicial killings by Israeli and Egyptian military forces, as well as forced disappearances in Egypt. The letter also points to the 2013 massacre in Egypt's Rabaa Square, which left nearly 1,000 people dead as the military cracked down on protesters, as worthy of examination.
Leahys signature is particularly noteworthy because his name is on a law that conditions U.S. military aid to countries on whether their security forces are committing abuses.
In light of these reports we request that you act promptly to determine their credibility and whether they trigger the Leahy Law and, if so, take appropriate action called for under the law, the signatories state in the letter, which was obtained by POLITICO on Tuesday evening from an organization that provided input for it.
Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2016/03/patrick-leahy-senate-israel-egypt-state-221366#ixzz44MjYIAnZ
Bad Dog
(2,025 posts)It's not like finding IS guilty of human rights abuses, too many vested interests and lobbyists in the way.
Jemmons
(711 posts)Ford_Prefect
(7,901 posts)Egypts inclusion may be no easier to navigate, as the military-backed Egyptian regime has proved a vexing problem for President Barack Obama as he has sought to balance the U.S.s traditional concern for human rights with its need to maintain Cairo as an ally in an increasingly chaotic Middle East.
The U.S. is so wary of losing Egypts friendship it declined to call the militarys 2013 takeover over of the elected Muslim Brotherhood government a coup a label that would have triggered a legal obligation to suspend military aid. Israel, meanwhile, remains Americas closest ally in the region despite tense relations between Obama and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and it has received billions in U.S. military assistance over the years.
The letter questions the current mechanisms that the U.S. has to monitor its military assistance to both countries and asks for clarity on how the various divisions of the State Department document and determine the credibility of information related to allegations of gross violations of human rights by foreign security forces.
Evidently the US military and The State Department haven't the time to conduct themselves in a lawful manner in this situation. SO much for self-regulation. Is there an Inspector General's office that would have proper oversight to determine this?