Democrats push Secretary of State to investigate ‘human rights’ violations in Gaza

Much like his boss, Rubio has positioned himself as one of Israel’s strongest defenders in Washington.

By Aaron Sull, Jewish Breaking News

A group of Democratic senators is urging Secretary of State Marco Rubio to act on a classified report that claims “hundreds” of alleged human-rights violations involving Israeli military units remain unreviewed.

The State Department’s Office of Inspector General completed its report several days before the October 10 Gaza ceasefire.

Investigators focused on whether the U.S. is meeting its obligations under the Leahy Law, which prohibits aid to foreign security units credibly linked to “human-rights violations.”

The report flagged a backlog of hundreds of Gaza-related allegations tied to Israeli units and claims the current Israel-specific vetting system is so cumbersome that many cases may sit unresolved for years.

Warning that slow-moving reviews could weaken U.S. credibility in the Middle East, Senators Chris Van Hollen and Jack Reed organized the letter on Tuesday demanding the State Department “complies with its legal obligations” to review the cases.

“Given these findings, we urge you to quickly implement the OIG’s recommendations and adjudicate these cases in a timely manner in order to ensure compliance with U.S. law,” they wrote. “Without effective enforcement mechanisms, these laws and policies become meaningless.”

Other Democrats who signed the letter include Senators Jeff Merkley, Elizabeth Warren, Edward Markey, Peter Welch, Brian Schatz, Tim Kaine, Patty Murray and Tina Smith. Senator Bernie Sanders, who has long been Israel’s strongest critic in Congress, also joined the appeal.

Several high-profile cases remain under review, including the accidental killing of seven World Central Kitchen workers in April 2024. So far, the State Department has not deemed any Israeli unit ineligible for U.S. assistance under the Leahy Law.

Much like his boss, Rubio has positioned himself as one of Israel’s strongest defenders in Washington.

He traveled to Jerusalem in September for talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, then came back in late October to inspect the new U.S. coordination hub in Kiryat Gat that will help enforce the ceasefire.

At the time, Rubio said the U.S. “has no intention of letting Gaza fall back into terrorist hands” and praised Israel for cooperating with American monitors.

Although the letter came from Democrats, the White House is also being challenged from the far right. Former Trump adviser Steve Bannon and commentator Tucker Carlson have criticized the $3.8 billion Israel receives annually, with Carlson calling the arrangement “insane.”

Pew Research Center polling shows skepticism toward Israel rising among conservatives under 50, jumping from 35% to 50% in recent years.