Rubio Says U.S. Will Not Follow U.K. Lead on West Bank Trade Ban

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke to reporters before departing for a trip to several Latin American countries.

Rubio said the United States had been given advance notice of the United Kingdom’s decision concerning the West Bank. He said the U.S. would “obviously” not follow Britain’s lead.

Britain on Tuesday banned trade with Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. The Associated Press reported that the British government has accused “settler terrorists” of carrying out “ethnic cleansing” of Palestinians in the territory.

Israel responded by saying it would close the British consulate in Jerusalem.

Rubio said the United States does not want to see anything destabilizing happen in the West Bank at this time, but he declined to elaborate.

Asked about Houthi attacks in Saudi Arabia, which the Associated Press reported had wounded dozens of people, Rubio said the United States was watching the situation “very closely.”

Rubio described the Houthis as “agents and proxies” of Iran and referred further questions to the Pentagon.

Source: AP