US authorities are planning to address the case of Omar Assad, an 80-year-old American citizen who was killed by Israeli forces last year, instantly with Israel. This decision comes after the Israeli military opted not to pursue legal expenses within the case, claiming there was no “causal link” between Assad’s stress-induced heart attack and the actions of the soldiers. The US State Department is seeking additional information on the investigation from the Israeli authorities.
Cinch happened early last 12 months after he was detained, certain, blindfolded, and gagged by Israeli forces, then left unresponsive at a chilly development web site in the occupied West Bank. The Israeli army maintains that the way its troopers handled Assad was not responsible for his death.
State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller emphasised Washington’s expectation of “full accountability” in the case and shared concerns in regards to the circumstances of Assad’s demise. Miller said they’d be talking “directly” about the concern with Israel.
Last 12 months, Assad was certainly one of two US citizens killed by Israeli forces; the other being Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh who died after being shot whereas reporting on a raid in Jenin.
Given that Israeli authorities seldom prosecute abuses perpetrated by their forces against Palestinians, the Leahy Law has been proposed as a means of holding these accountable accountable. The Leahy Law prohibits US aid from being supplied to overseas forces concerned in severe human rights violations. Adam Shapiro, director of advocacy for Israel-Palestine at Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN), argued that this law ought to be utilized to the Netzah Yehuda unit answerable for Assad’s dying..