British Firms Fear Becoming ‘Collateral Damage’ as America Threatens to Ban Them Over UK Sanctions on Israel

British firms that trade with America are appealing to their own government to reverse course on sanctions for Israel, saying they fear becoming “collateral damage” as U.S. states threaten to ban them.President Trump on Wednesday declined to take a side on the issue, saying he would “be speaking to Israel” about the sanctions that the UK announced on Tuesday. “I’ll find out what they’re thinking,” he said. Lance Forman, the owner of a firm specializing in the export of smoked salmon, tells The New York Sun that while he supports the U.S. pushback, his business might “end up paying for the government’s political gesture.” Scottish salmon exporters have increased deliveries to America as European Union exports declined. “The irony is that I support America pushing back against this boycott, even though my own company could lose business as a result,” Mr. Forman tells the Sun. “We have exported smoked salmon to the United States for more than 50 years, including to Florida. If that trade is put at risk, the responsibility lies with the British government for pursuing this policy in the first place.“This puts British businesses like mine in an impossible position. I strongly oppose the boycott of Israel and understand entirely why American states may retaliate against it — but that retaliation could cost us customers and contracts. It is British companies that may end up paying for the government’s political gesture.”America is Britain’s largest exporting destination, totaling more than $88 billion. British exports to America include precious stones and metals, machinery, cars, and aerospace-related items. Seafood is one of Britain’s fastest growing exports to America. U.S. states can legally punish any entity or country that targets the Jewish state for economic pressure. Several state laws specifically target an anti-Israel movement known as Boycott, Divest, and Sanction. “The law in Arkansas makes it clear that we will not do business with any company that deliberately chooses to participate in BDS movement activities, period,” Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Wednesday. She served as White House press secretary in Mr. Trump’s first term. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, traditionally a staunch Israel supporter, said the administration was notified of Mr. Miliband’s statement in advance, and that America is “concerned” about violence in the West Bank. Neither he nor the president referred to federal laws authorizing the executive branch to punish anyone that participates in boycotting the Jewish state. Unidentified White House officials are now telling reporters, including Axios, that the governor’s father, America’s ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, was freelancing when he went on the British Broadcasting Corporation Tuesday to condemn the Labour government’s sanctions against settlements in Judea and Samaria. Mr. Huckabee failed to consult with the White House or the Department of State, Axios reported Tuesday. The leader of the Conservative Party, Kemi Badenoch, accused Prime Minister Andy Burnham and his foreign secretary, Ed Miliband, of harming Britain’s national security, exacerbating antisemitism at home, and harming the country’s “special relation” with America. “Labour says national security comes first, so why is it prepared to jeopardise one of Britain’s most important security relationships and damage our international standing with the United States?” While Labour vowed to turn away from the antisemitism of its former leader, Jeremy Corbyn, Ms. Benedoch added, the latter “very much did win the argument inside the party.” The Labour Party is far from an ally of Mr. Trump, who is not averse to pressuring its leaders. Earlier this year the president strongly criticized Mr. Burnham’s predecessor, Keir Starmer, for his intention to transfer ownership of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius. The Indian Ocean islands statelet is home to a strategically-placed joint British-American airbase, Diego Garcia. After a strong pushback from Washington, London shelved the Mauritius deal. As yet Mr. Burnham has not revived it. Mr. Trump also dismissively called Mr. Burnham an “extremely liberal” mayor of a small town. The president often criticizes Labour left wing tropes, such as its government’s climate policies. More crucially, Messrs. Starmer and Burnham have vocally criticized the American-Israeli military action against Iran’s nuclear program. The Labour government assisted, ever so reluctantly, with mine clearing at the Hormuz Strait. For now, though, Mr. Trump seems far from eager to choose sides between two long-time American allies, Britain and Israel.

British Firms Fear Becoming ‘Collateral Damage’ as America Threatens to Ban Them Over UK Sanctions on Israel

British Firms Fear Becoming ‘Collateral Damage’ as America Threatens to Ban Them Over UK Sanctions on Israel

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