Israel's measures against UK likely succeeded in diminishing British influence, Abrams says

Former senior US official Elliott Abrams stated that Israel's retaliatory measures against Britain for banning settlement imports were likely successful in making London "wince" and diminishing its global influence. These measures included closing the British Consulate in East Jerusalem, excluding Britain from diplomatic and security activities with Palestinians, and ending British training of Palestinian security forces. Abrams criticized British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband's "ethnic cleansing" accusation against Israel, suggesting it would alienate many British and Israeli Jews. He also noted that Britain was likely singled out for the harshest response because it not only imposed the measures but also actively recruited other countries to join. Abrams warned that Britain risks losing its influence, similar to Norway, which diminished its global role by ceasing to be neutral on the Israeli-Palestinian issue.