A classified report by the US State Department’s Office of Inspector General has identified “many hundreds” of potential violations of American human rights law by Israeli military units operating in Gaza, the Washington Post reported Thursday.
According to two US officials who spoke with the newspaper, the scale of the findings would take the State Department “multiple years” to review.
This marks the first time a US government watchdog has acknowledged the extent of Israeli actions in Gaza that fall under the Leahy Laws, named after former Vermont Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy, which prohibit US security assistance to foreign military units credibly accused of gross human rights abuses.
The report outlines a unique vetting protocol for Israel, known as the Israel Leahy Vetting Forum, which involves senior US officials and a consensus-based process. Unlike standard vetting – where a single objection can halt aid – Israel’s review requires agreement among a working group that includes the US Embassy in Jerusalem and the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs. The Israeli government is consulted before any recommendation to withhold aid is made.
While the Leahy Laws have not been used to deny Israel US funds in the past, in 2016, Senator Leahy and 10 other Democratic lawmakers urged the State Department to probe the IDF for possible “gross violations of human rights”.
The latest report was finalized just days before the October 10 ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, which included the release of Israeli hostages, a partial IDF withdrawal, and limited humanitarian aid into Gaza.
The inspector general’s office confirmed the report’s existence but declined to comment, citing its classified status. Neither the State Department nor the IDF responded to inquiries.