US Won't Follow UK Sanctions on Israeli Goods, Says State Department

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated Tuesday that the United States will not impose similar sanctions against Israel as recently announced by the United Kingdom. The UK's decision includes a ban on trade with products from Judea and Samaria. Rubio confirmed that the U.S. was aware of Britain's intentions to implement these sanctions but clarified that Washington would not take a similar course of action.

"We have nothing to say about the decisions they make," Rubio told reporters. "We do not want to see any escalation in the region, and we think this affects progress in the Gaza Strip. Clearly, we will not do what Britain has done now, but we have no comment on it at this time."

Rubio added that the U.S. had prior knowledge of the British decision and had heard their arguments. "We share the same goal, to achieve stability and prevent escalation in the West Bank," he said, while reiterating that the U.S. had no further comment on the British decision announced just hours earlier.