Top American lawyers have accused Andy Burnham of aligning the UK with 'the objectives of terrorist organisations' over British sanctions targeting Israeli settlers.
asserted
lawyers → accuse → settlers
Attorney generals from 13 US states have threatened Britain with reprisals over the 'harmful anti-Israel' trade ban, warning the actions could force American firms to cut ties with the UK.
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actions → threaten → UK
In a letter to Sir Christian Turner, the UK ambassador to the US, the group of Republican attorneys demanded Downing Street scrap the measures aimed at illegal settler activity on the West Bank or risk facing a trade war.
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Street → demand → war
Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband announced the sanctions package in September, as he accused Israel's government of turning a blind eye to the 'ethnic cleansing' of Palestinians by settler 'terrorists'.
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he → announce → terrorists
The restrictions banned goods but also targeted firms and individuals providing services to help expand settlements.
But it provoked fury, with Israel's foreign minister Gideon Saar accusing Mr Miliband of spreading an 'outrageous lie', while Mike Huckabee, the US ambassador to the country, branded it 'Jew hate'.
In a new letter led by Iowa attorney general Brenna Bird, the 13 law chiefs warned the sanctions risked damaging US companies and undermining Israel's sovereignty.
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sanctions → ban → sovereignty
In retaliation, the group threatened to ban British firms from lucrative US contracts and withdraw investment to UK companies, in a move that could cripple businesses.
'Beyond the economic harms that your anti-Israel sanctions have created, your nations have also aligned themselves with the policy objectives of terrorist organisations like Hamas and Hezbollah,' the attorney generals wrote.
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generals → threaten → Hamas
Top American lawyers have accused Andy Burnham of aligning the UK with 'the objectives of terrorist organisations' over British sanctions targeting Israeli settlers
Israeli security forces stand guard during an attack by Israeli settlers on Nov 10
'
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forces → accuse → Nov
Your anti-Israel sanctions may thus disqualify companies from your nations from contracting with our states, or require our states to divest from your companies, which both deprives your citizens of potentially valuable economic opportunities and deprives our states of potentially valuable goods and services.
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which → disqualify → goods
These unnecessary economic harms derive entirely from your unilateral decision to impose unlawful sanctions on Israel.'
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harms → derive → Israel
The letter was co-signed by other top lawyers from Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Ohio, Oklahoma and South Carolina.
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letter → co → Alabama
The Netherlands was also threatened with sanctions in the diplomatic correspondence after taking similar actions to Britain.
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Netherlands → threaten → Britain
Prime Minister Mr Burnham is under pressure to mend the strained relations between the US and UK.
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Burnham → mend → US
The attorneys generals' comments could further sour ties between Washington and London, with tensions having been inflamed by Donald Trump's recent trade tariffs and war against Iran.
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tensions → sour → Iran
A recent poll revealed Americans were also losing faith in its 'special relationship' with Britain, with most no longer considering the UK a vital strategic partner.
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UK → reveal → Britain
Five years ago, more than half (52 per cent) of Americans saw Britain as the US's most valuable ally.
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half → see → ally
But a poll carried out in September revealed this has shrunk to just 30 per cent.
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this → carry → cent
The letter was sent to Christian Turner, the UK ambassador to the US (pictured)
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letter → send → US
In a further souring, the attorneys general warned Britain's latest 'misguided' sanctions against Israel could impose 'severe economic harm' to American businesses.
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sanctions → warn → businesses
They added: 'The sanctions directly advance the policies that these terrorist organisations have sought to achieve through brutal violence against civilians, women, and children.
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organisations → add → civilians
Moreover, your sanctions could be seen to provide a veneer of legitimacy to the policy aims of these terrorist organisations, suggesting that prominent European nations share them.
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nations → see → them
However, some hardline Israeli ministers continue to support expansion plans into the territory.
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ministers → continue → territory
Violence, led by extremist Israeli settlers, has flared up in recent weeks, with armed attacks carried out on a number of Palestinians.
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Violence → lead → Palestinians
On one occasion the military had to be called in to remove a group occupying the home of a Palestinian family.
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military → have → family
Benjamin Netanyahu has previously condemned the 'criminal act of violence' carried out by some Israeli settlers, saying a 'handful of rioters' were 'causing a huge injustice to the law-abiding settler public'.
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handful → condemn → public
Israeli settlers walk near the Ibrahimi Mosque on the West Bank on Nov 7
Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband announced the sanctions in September, as he accused Israel's government of turning a blind eye to the 'ethnic cleansing' of Palestinians by settler 'terrorists'.
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he → walk → terrorists
However, some hardline Israeli ministers back the illegal expansion, with Israeli finance minister Bezalel Smotrich declaring it a 'revolution in settlement'.
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it → back → settlement
In a statement announcing the UK sanctions package in September, Mr Miliband told MPs: 'The British government agrees that there is ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in areas of the West Bank, perpetrated by settler terrorists.
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government → announce → terrorists
And all too often the Israeli government has turned a blind eye to this and worse, members of it have made statements and taken actions to support the forced displacement of Palestinians.'
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members → turn → Palestinians
The Government has been approached for comment.
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Government → approach → comment
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