US drafted memo condemning UK over West Bank sanctions, but it was never released – report

In early September, US officials in Jerusalem and Washington drafted a statement, attributed to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, condemning plans by the UK, France, and Canada to block imports from Israeli settlements in the West Bank. The draft, driven by US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee's aide David Milstein, proposed Rubio describe these actions as hostile and contributing to antisemitism, stating, "These tactics unacceptably draw from the playbook of the antisemitic boycotts, divestments and sanctions movement." However, the statement was never released due to lack of support from the White House and senior State Department leadership. Instead, Rubio offered a more neutral response, saying, "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." This incident highlights a growing divide between the White House and US diplomats in Israel regarding responses to Israeli settlement expansion and an ideological split within the American right over support for Israel.