US refused to defend Israel - secret document revealed
The Trump administration blocked a statement prepared by US diplomats that criticized Britain, France, and Canada for their plans to restrict imports of goods from Israeli settlements. The document, dated September 8, did not receive support from the White House and State Department, indicating internal disagreements over the settlement issue.
The administration of US President Donald Trump blocked a statement prepared by American diplomats that sharply criticized Britain, France, and Canada over their plans to restrict imports of goods from Israeli settlements in Judea and Samaria. The document, dated September 8, was prepared by David Milstein, an advisor to US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, and was intended for Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The draft proposed characterizing the actions of the three countries as hostile measures against Israel, linking them to BDS practices, and stating that such policies contribute to antisemitism. However, according to three Reuters sources, the initiative did not receive approval from the White House and senior State Department officials, and the statement was not published. A US official noted that the document was prepared without consultation with the White House. Rubio himself on September 8 took a more restrained position, refraining from direct criticism of London, Paris, or Ottawa. This story points to disagreements within the administration over the issue of Israeli settlements: Ambassador Huckabee consistently supports Israeli presence, while Trump previously expressed disagreement with settlement expansion. According to a Pew Research Center poll, 57% of Republicans aged 18 to 49 have a negative view of Israel.