The UK has announced that it will impose sanctions against individuals and entities involved in building settlements in the West Bank after the Israeli government decided to proceed with a new settlement
US President Donald Trump has not condemned the UK’s decision to impose sanctions on those building settlements in the West Bank has been revealed.
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced on Tuesday, September 8, that the UK would impose sanctions against individuals and entities involved in building settlements in the West Bank.
This after the Israeli government decided to proceed with a new settlement in the sensitive E1 area, which would divide the West Bank and prevent territorial contiguity in any future Palestinian state.
Canada, Denmark, Finland and France are among the several countries that have supported the UK in its decision.
Israeli ally America has now revealed that it was briefed by the UK before the announcement.
Two sources familiar have said that Trump did not push back or ask UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham to change course, Axios has reported.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio did not condemn the UK’s move when asked about it by reporters on Tuesday.
“The President hasn’t commented on this and neither have I,” he told reporters.
“We were made aware that they are gonna make this decision. We heard their arguments as to why.
“We share the goal of stability. We don’t want to see an uptick in violence or tensions in the West Bank in a tenuous time in the region.”
US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee attacked the new sanctions when speaking to the BBC.
Huckabee told the broadcaster that the UK government’s decision amounted to “discrimination against the Jewish people.”
A White House distanced itself from the comments.
An official told Axios that Huckabee’s remarks “were not coordinated with the White House” or State Department.
In response to the UK’s move, Israel announced the closure of the UK consulate in East Jerusalem. The consulate handles relations with the Palestinian Authority.
Israel has also expelled British diplomats and military officers posted to a US-led Gaza task force and terminated a British military training mission in the West Bank.
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