US-UK Israel Sanctions Dispute: Huckabee Warns Britain

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee responded Tuesday evening to Britain's newly imposed sanctions on Israel, which include a trade ban on products originating from Judea and Samaria (the West Bank). The ambassador sharply criticized the British decision and cautioned that Washington would not ignore the move.

Speaking to Reuters, Huckabee said the British sanctions would likely backfire. "There will probably be consequences to Britain's sanctions," he stated. "The impact will be very negative and will not serve the purpose the British intend."

Huckabee explained that several U.S. states have laws designed to counter boycotts of Israel. "In the state of Florida, and in other states across the U.S., the law stipulates that if the British do something like this to an ally like Israel, they won't be able to conduct trade in those states either," he said. "This means there will be serious economic damage to British businesses, because they will be prohibited from trading in Florida and other states throughout the U.S. And if the British impose an embargo on them as well, the consequences will be very significant. Twenty-five percent of the medicines purchased in Britain are manufactured in Israel, so how will you replace those?"

The ambassador concluded by questioning Britain's selective approach. "The real question is: why put this pressure on Israel? Does Britain also impose such harsh sanctions on North Korea, China, or Russia?" Huckabee asked. "I don't understand why only Israel receives this kind of treatment."