US Embassy Drafted Condemnation of Anti-Israel Trade Measures, White House Shelved It

An internal draft statement prepared by U.S. officials in Israel, intended to condemn a decision by Britain, France, Canada, and other Western nations to ban or restrict trade with Israeli settlements, was never released, Reuters reported Wednesday. The statement, reportedly initiated by David Millstein, an aide to then-U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, was dated September 8, the same day the 12 countries announced their measures. The draft, attributed to then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, characterized the trade restrictions as "a series of hostile moves against Israel that contribute to antisemitism" and accused the boycotting nations of adopting tactics from the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement.

However, the draft statement did not receive support from the White House or senior levels of the State Department and was ultimately shelved. Pompeo's public response to the settlement trade restrictions was notably muted; he stated he had "no comment" on the matter at the time. This incident highlights a growing divergence between U.S. representatives in Israel and the White House regarding policy towards Israeli settlements under the current administration, as well as increasing ideological divisions within the American right concerning support for Israel. Recent polls indicate that younger Republicans hold increasingly negative views of Israel.

While Ambassador Huckabee was reportedly a strong supporter of the settlement enterprise, President Trump expressed opposition to settlements but exerted minimal pressure on Israel to alter its policies. A senior U.S. official told Reuters that the draft statement was not coordinated with the State Department or the White House. Both Ambassador Huckabee and Millstein referred Reuters' requests for comment to the State Department.