US Drafted Memo for Rubio to Condemn Allies Over West Bank Curbs

U.S. officials in Jerusalem and Washington prepared a September 8 draft statement for Secretary of State Marco Rubio condemning UK, France and Canada plans to block imports from Israeli settlements in the West Bank. Two sources said David Milstein, aide to Ambassador Mike Huckabee, drove the draft, which stated that these tactics unacceptably draw from the playbook of the antisemitic boycotts, divestments and sanctions movement. The statement was never released and lacked support from the White House and senior State Department leadership. A senior U.S. official said it was not prepared in consultation with the State Department or White House. Rubio told reporters on September 8 in Florida before Latin America travel that the U.S. would not do what the UK did but he had no comment right now. The embassy referred Huckabee and Milstein questions to the State Department; the White House did not respond. Trump said in December he and Netanyahu did not fully agree on the West Bank and that September he would not allow Israel to annex the territory. June Quinnipiac polling showed 48% of voters and 66% of Democrats saying the U.S. is too supportive of Israel, while a late March Pew poll found 57% of Republicans 18-49 unfavorable toward Israel.