American news network CNN has learned in its months-long investigation that the Israeli army unit in question, the Netzah Yehuda battalion, was initially established to recruit ultra-nationalist Jews into the army. Washington had previously accused it of flagrant human rights abuses against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank prior to the war on Gaza.
The battalion was also involved in the killing of a 78-year-old Palestinian-American man in 2022.
The CNN investigation has found that former Netzah Yehuda commanders have been promoted to senior positions in the Israeli military and are actively involved in training ground forces and executing operations in Gaza.
Using facial recognition technology and other publicly available methods, the investigation has determined that three former commanders of the unit have risen to high ranks in the Israeli army.
The CNN also interviewed several current and former US officials, who said that the promotion of these abusive commanders is a concerning consequence of American inaction in the face of Israeli atrocities in Gaza.
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