Jericho:Jerusalem An Israeli organization is advocating for international sanctions against Major General Avi Blot, the commander of the Central Command in the Israeli military. The call to action arises from events in Jericho where Jewish families entered homes they had purchased.
According to Maan News Agency, the organization "Combatants for Peace" has taken steps to address this matter by sending a letter through lawyer Itai Mack to several Western governments. The letter, which Mack shared on his X platform account, was directed to British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand, and EU foreign policy chief Kaia Kallas. It demanded urgent sanctions against Major General Avi Blot on the grounds of his alleged prior knowledge of a plan orchestrated by activists from the Nahala movement to enter homes in Jericho.
The letter claims that Balot, as the highest military commander in the West Bank, is accountable under international law, citing the Hague and Geneva Conventions. It also alleges that the Central Command coordinated with settler leaders and advised against informing field military commanders of the plan until the families were settled.
In contrast to this move, Shai Glick, director-general of the organization 'B'Tselem,' criticized the call for sanctions. Glick described it as a "crossing of a moral red line" and accused 'Combatants for Peace' of hypocrisy, arguing that the organization uses foreign funds to target Israeli officers. He emphasized that Major General Avi Blot is acting under the political echelon's directives and safeguarding state security, urging the Israeli government to support Blot and counter foreign-influenced organizations.
The controversy follows an incident where Jewish families occupied eight homes in Jericho, acquired clandestinely, as reported by the channel's correspondent. The Binyamin Regional Council and the Nahala movement stated these homes, situated on state-owned land in Area C, are adjacent to historic Hasmonean palaces. Regional Council Chairman Yisrael Gantz remarked on this action as dismantling the Oslo Accords and reclaiming their homes.