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US attorney generals accuse Andy Burnham of aligning the UK with ‘the objectives of terrorist organisations’ with Israel sanctions
Republican attorneys general from 13 US states have threatened economic retaliation against the UK over sanctions targeting Israeli settlement activity in the occupied West Bank. They accuse the measures of aligning Britain with the aims of Hamas and Hezbollah, raising the risk of further strain in UK-US relations.
The sanctions, announced by Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband in September, restrict goods and target firms and individuals providing services that help expand settlements, which are illegal under international law. The attorneys general warned they could exclude British companies from state contracts and withdraw investment; the Netherlands was also criticised for similar measures. A poll cited in the article found the share of Americans viewing Britain as the US’s most valuable ally fell from 52 per cent five years ago to 30 per cent in September.
In short
- 13 US state attorneys general threaten action over UK sanctions.
- Measures target activity supporting Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
- British firms could lose US state contracts and investment.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Supporters of the sanctions argue that restricting services and goods linked to settlement expansion is a proportionate way to uphold international law and discourage activity that undermines Palestinian rights and prospects for peace. They see targeted economic measures as a legitimate foreign-policy tool, and believe the UK should apply them even when a powerful ally objects.
The case against
Critics argue that sanctions risk damaging UK-US relations and imposing costs on British firms without changing settlement policy. They may also see the measures as unfairly singling out Israel or as weakening cooperation with an important ally, and contend that engagement and diplomacy would be more effective ways to address the dispute.
Explained simply
The West Bank is a territory captured by Israel in 1967, where Palestinians live alongside Israeli settlements. Most countries consider the settlements illegal under international law, a view Israel disputes. The area’s status is a longstanding and sensitive part of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The UK measures target goods and services linked to expanding settlements, including firms and individuals that support that activity. Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband announced them in September. The US state attorneys general are state-level legal officials; those involved are Republicans from 13 states.
The dispute matters because state governments can influence where public money is spent and how some investments are made. Possible restrictions on British businesses could affect trade and investment, while the disagreement adds to wider tensions between the UK and US over policy towards Israel and the Palestinians.
Americas Geopolitics Middle East Politics UK World