Donald Trump Ally Accuses UK Of Anti Jewish Sanctions Discrimination

A key ally of Donald Trump has accused the British government of “discrimination against the Jewish people” over plans to impose sanctions on Israeli settlements in the West Bank.

Mike Huckabee, the US ambassador to Israel, spoke out as foreign secretary Ed Miliband will unveil the controversial policy in a statement to MPs on Tuesday.

Goods coming out of the illegal settlements in the West Bank, a Palestinian territory, will subject to trade restrictions as part of a “reset” of Britain’s relationship with Israel.

Tensions in the West Bank have flared in recent months, with Israeli settlers involved in violent disputes with Palestinians.

Huckabee accused the UK government of “Jew hate” at the weekend after the Foreign Office published a video of Miliban condemning the “horrific” situation in Gaza.

That led to a condemnation of his remarks by prime minister Andy Burnham’s official spokesman.

But Huckabee reignited the war of words on Radio 4’s Today programme on Tuesday.

He said the UK government has not thought through the “implications” of the sanctions plan, which could see some US states, such as Florida, ban all trade with Britain.

Huckabee said he was aware that Miliband is Jewish, but said: “There are some of Americans who don’t like America very much. They march in the streets and burn our flag, doesn’t mean they love America just because they live there.

“You go by what people do, not just by what they say or who they’re related to.

“This is an irrational action, that’s what I’m saying. I don’t understand what it’s supposed to achieve. If the UK is really interested in dealing with issues they feel are wrong, where are the sanctions against North Korea, China, Russia. Where are the sanctions against many other nations in the world?”

He added: “I feel it is a discrimination against the Israeli government, it’s a discrimination against the Jewish people, and I don’t understand the rationale of it.

“I don’t know if they have thought [this] through. It’s like throwing a stone and not knowing where it’s going to land.”

Earlier on the same programme, Labour MP Peter Prinsley had warned that Miliband’s plan could put British Jews at risk.

He said: “My fear is that opponents of Israel won’t distinguish between Israeli government policy, Zionistic political philosophy and British Jews.

“As far as they’re concerned, the whole thing’s the same. It carries a real risk of increased chances of attacks on the British Jewish community.”

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