**Draft US Rebuke of UK Over Israeli Settlement Sanctions Shelved**
In early September, US officials in both Jerusalem and Washington prepared a statement attributed to Secretary of State Marco Rubio that condemned the plans of the UK, France, and Canada to impose restrictions on imports from Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. This information comes from a document reviewed by Reuters, which indicates that the statement was never publicly released.
The draft, dated September 8, characterized the actions of the three countries as hostile measures against Israel, suggesting that they contribute to rising antisemitism. The document claimed, “These tactics unacceptably draw from the playbook of the antisemitic boycotts, divestments and sanctions movement.”
Sources familiar with the situation indicated that the initiative for the statement was led by David Milstein, an aide to US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee. However, it reportedly did not receive backing from the White House or senior leadership within the State Department. When Rubio was questioned about the UK's actions during a press event in Florida, he refrained from directly criticizing the UK, stating, “Obviously, we’re not going to do what the UK did. We saw their announcement today, but I don’t have any comment on it right now.”
A senior US official confirmed to Reuters that the draft statement had not been developed in consultation with the State Department or the White House. The US embassy directed inquiries to the State Department, while the White House did not respond to requests for comments regarding the matter.
This incident highlights a growing rift between the White House and senior American diplomats stationed in Israel regarding the approach to settlement expansion under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing government. Huckabee, a prominent supporter of Israeli settlements, often refers to the West Bank by its biblical names, Judea and Samaria. His views have sometimes conflicted with those of former President Donald Trump, who has expressed opposition to settlement expansion without exerting significant pressure on Israel to halt it.
Milstein has previously advocated for sanctions against the International Criminal Court (ICC) in response to its war crimes charges against Israeli leaders related to the Gaza conflict, although this measure has not been pursued by the current administration.
The situation also reflects a broader division within the American right regarding support for Israel. A Pew Research Center poll conducted in late March revealed that 57% of Republicans aged 18 to 49 held an unfavorable view of Israel, an increase from 50% the previous year. In contrast, older Republicans continue to show substantial support for Israel.
Public sentiment towards Israel has shifted significantly since the onset of the Gaza war in 2023. A June Quinnipiac University poll indicated that 48% of voters and 66% of Democrats believe the US is too supportive of Israel, a stark increase from 16% and 20%, respectively, when the question was first posed in 2017.
Trump has acknowledged differences with Netanyahu regarding the West Bank, having stated in December that they did not fully agree on the issue. He had previously indicated in September that he would not permit Israel to annex the territory.
The West Bank has been under Israeli occupation since the 1967 war, and the international community, including the United Nations, generally considers the settlements there to be illegal, a stance that Israel disputes. The region is home to approximately 500,000 Israeli settlers and around 3 million Palestinians, who have long sought the West Bank as part of a future state alongside Gaza and East Jerusalem.
Amidst rising tensions, violence by Jewish settlers against Palestinians has escalated this year. Huckabee has publicly condemned this violence, describing the perpetrators as a minority not representative of the broader settler community. The situation remains complex and contentious, with ongoing debates about the future of the region and the role of international actors in addressing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.