In an obvious, but denied double standard, Blinken has stated that the United States does not favor “Israel” when applying international law.
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Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks about the recently released 2023 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices during a briefing at the State Department in Washington, Monday, April 22, 2024. (AP)
Secretary of State Antony Blinken suggested in a presser on the 2023 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices that the US would publicize a plan to cut military aid to an Israeli occupation military unit accused of violating human rights in the West Bank.
“You’ll see in the days ahead that we will have more to say,” Blinken told reporters.
When asked whether the US encompasses double standards or biases when applying the law against “Israel”, Blinken denied, stressing that the US, “Israel’s” staunchest ally, treats all countries the same. Blinken also firmly stated that the administration will not provide a timeline as to when it would conclude its assessment of “Israel’s” war crimes in Gaza, despite the reporters’ insistence for one.
Blinken reiterated that the US would take its time, adding that “Israel” has exhibited its ability to “look at itself” and evaluate its actions, which is “what separates democracies from other countries”. He further attempted to justify the Israeli genocide when asked about the mass destruction of Gaza and the IOF’s indiscriminate bombing, claiming that “Hamas was a legitimate target that is integrated with Palestinian society”.
A reporter also asked the US Secretary if the Geneva Convention applies to Gaza, stressing that the media has been asking for months with no response, and in an unsurprising turn of events, the question was ignored yet again.
Questioned directly by The Grayzone’s @cosgrove_iv, Secretary of State Tony Blinken refused to say whether the Geneva Conventions applies to Gaza
Yet on July 13, 2022, Blinken condemned Russia, accusing its government of violating the Fourth Branch of the Geneva Convention pic.twitter.com/hij20CPUIS
— The Grayzone (@TheGrayzoneNews) April 23, 2024
Read more: US may sanction more IOF units over human rights violations
Blinken ignoring department proposal to cut aid to ‘Israel’
On Friday, the New York-based ProPublica news site cited current and former American officials, reporting that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has failed to act on a proposal put forward by a special panel at his department to cut aid to “Israel” for human rights violations against Palestinians.
Back in December, the special committee of the State Department, known as the Israel Leahy Vetting Forum, suggested Blinken exclude Israeli military and police from receiving American assistance.
“They’ve been sitting in his [Blinken’s] briefcase since then”, the report said.
The proposal was written after the special committee, made up of Middle East and human rights experts, reviewed multiple cases of human rights violations and killings at the hands of “Israel” against Palestinians in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, even before October 7th.
The Biden administration has imposed sanctions on two illegal Israeli outposts and three settlers for undermining stability in the occupied West Bank as it urged “Israel” to act more to prevent settler violence, which the US claims is an obstacle to peace in the region.
With these moves, sanctioning countries almost always play the card of drawing an allegedly distinct line between Israeli settlers and “extremist settlers”.
US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller claimed that the US would continue to take action against those engaging in extremist violence and threatening peace and security in the occupied West Bank.
