Israeli media outlets have reported that a US Democratic Party senator is working toward proposing a bill to suspend US aid to elite Israeli Defence Forces units on the grounds that those units are involved in human rights violations against Palestinian citizens in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
 
On Tuesday, August 16, Haaretz newspaper reported that Senator Patrick Leahy wants US assistance withheld from the Israeli Navy's Shayetet 13 Unit, the undercover Duvdevan Unit and the Israel Air Force's Shaldag Unit.

Haaretz added that Israel's "Defence Minister, Ehud Barak, a long-time friend of Leahy's, met with him in Washington two weeks ago to try to persuade him to withdraw the initiative" which is aimed at restricting US military aid to Israel.