Britain criticises Kerry's comments on Israeli government

[LONDON] British Prime Minister Theresa May's spokesman criticised US Secretary of State John Kerry's comments on Israel, saying it was not "appropriate" to chide the composition of the democratically-elected government of an ally.

Mr Kerry said on Wednesday that Israel's building of settlements was endangering Middle East peace, and described the government of Benjamin Netanyahu as being "the most right-wing in Israeli history".

A spokesman for Mrs May said the British government believed that while the construction of settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories was illegal, it was clear that the settlements were far from the only problem in this conflict.

"We do not ... believe that the way to negotiate peace is by focusing on only one issue," the spokesman said in a statement.

"And we do not believe that it is appropriate to attack the composition of the democratically-elected government of an ally."

REUTERS