A State Department panel urged the Biden administration in December to disqualify multiple Israeli military and police units from receiving U.S. aid over serious human rights abuses, including rape and torture. According to ProPublica, Secretary of State Blinken received the recommendation in December but has still not taken any action. Israeli leaders including Prime Minister Netanyahu and his chief rival who is widely expected to succeed him in office, Benny Gantz, have been "publicly and fiercely lobbying against any proposed sanctions," says ProPublica reporter Brett Murphy. "Gantz said he called Blinken personally and they talked about it. They want him to reverse course."