U.S. officials in Jerusalem and Washington prepared a draft statement in early September 2026 that would have condemned the United Kingdom, France, and Canada for plans to block imports from Israeli settlements in the West Bank. The document, dated September 8, was attributed to Secretary of State Marco Rubio but was ultimately never released.
The proposal followed an announcement by the U.K. regarding a trade ban on goods from Israeli settlements. In response, an Israeli official reported that Jerusalem requested Washington's intervention to prevent other Western nations from implementing similar measures. The draft memo characterized the trade restrictions as a series of hostile measures that contribute to antisemitism.
Three people familiar with the matter stated that the White House and senior leadership at the State Department did not support the draft. Two sources identified David Milstein, an aide to U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, as the primary driver behind the document. Instead of the drafted criticism, Rubio told reporters in Florida on September 8 that while the U.S. would not follow the U.K.'s lead, he had no comment at that time.
A person living in a West Bank settlement would notice a change in the marketability of their goods in certain markets, while U.S. policy remains unchanged for now. The internal disagreement follows instances where President Trump has expressed opposition to settlement expansion, while Ambassador Huckabee has maintained support for them.
The disagreement could influence how other Western nations proceed with trade restrictions. Current polling cited in the reports indicates shifting opinions among younger U.S. voters, with 57% of Republicans aged 18-49 holding an unfavorable view of Israel as of March 2026. What happens next depends on whether the U.K. and its allies finalize their import bans and if the U.S. State Department issues a formal policy stance.