US President Donald Trump has hinted he does not fully back Britain's decision to ban the import of goods from illegal Israeli settlements.Ed Miliband announced a 'new approach' to the West Bank was needed due to Israel pushing ahead with the controversial E1 settlement scheme, which would effectively cut the West Bank off from East Jerusalem. He also insisted that Britain would not 'stand by' while Benjamin Netanyahu's government used the creation of 'illegal' settlements to destroy the prospect of a two-state solution to the Middle East crisis.But critics have warned the Foreign Minister's plan risks becoming a 'de facto boycott' of Israel.Ephraim Mirvis, the UK's chief rabbi, has also claimed the Labour Government's action will make British Jews less safe.Mr Trump did not immediately respond to the ban, which was announced on Tuesday - and appeared to have questions when asked about the issue today. He told reporters on Wednesday: 'I'll be speaking to Israel, I'll be speaking to them, and I'll find out what they're thinking...I understand what's going on. 'But I want to find out why all of a sudden has that happened.' US President Donald Trump, seen on Wednesday in Maryland, has hinted he does not fully back Britain's decision to ban the import of goods from illegal Israeli settlements Ed Miliband announced a 'new approach' to the West Bank was needed due to Israel pushing ahead with the controversial E1 settlement scheme. Pictured: The E1 area near Maale Adumim, an Israeli settlement in the West Bank targeted for development Ed Miliband was today branded a 'failed figure' and a 'joke' by an Israeli government spokesman amid the sanctions rowThe US President appeared to question the timing of the move, which comes just over a month before elections are scheduled to take place in Israel. Meanwhile, critics of the sanctions said they believe the Prime Minister's 'domestic political pressures' are behind the timing of the announcement. David Mencer, an ex-Labour councillor who is now a spokesman for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, told GB News the sanctions were announced weeks before the crucial Holborn and St Pancras by-election next month.He said: 'They know they're losing ground to the Greens, so they're trying to outflank them on the Left.'The thing is, it will fail because no one trusts them here in Israel, and I'm pretty sure that no one will trust Labour on the streets of Holborn and St Pancras.'Mr Mencer, a former director of Labour Friends of Israel, added: 'I think this is a ridiculous policy. It's nakedly for domestic politics. Nothing to do with us here in Israel.'But what it does do, and I can tell you this for sure, is that it makes every single British Jew think to themselves; number one, "Labour has betrayed me", and number two, "is there a future for Britain's Jewish community to stay where they are?".'I think most will be rubbing their heads and thinking "probably not".'Mr Mencer went on to describe Ed Miliband as 'very much a failed figure' and 'a joke'.In response to Mr Miliband's announcement of a ban on trade with illegal settlements in the West Bank, Israel closed the British consulate in East Jerusalem and banned 11 MPs from the country. Ephraim Mirvis, the UK's chief rabbi, has claimed the Labour Government's action will make British Jews less safeJoin the discussionShould Britain risk alienating Israel and its Jewish community to defend the two-state solution?What's your view?There was however open support for the sanctions from eight Arab and Islamic countries.Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Pakistan, United Arab Emirates and Turkey all backed the move by Britain. In a statement, they called for other countries to take similar actions 'in line with international law' and hold organisations and individuals involved in Israeli settlements accountable.They also praised a joint statement on the Two-State Solution from Britain, France, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Canada on Tuesday. The countries announced their plans to introduce or support restrictions on European trade with Israeli settlements as they accused Israel of 'undermining the possibility of a two-State solution'. READ MORE: Israel hits back at Miliband and closes UK consulate, bars a dozen MPs and boots out militaryREAD MORE: Ed Miliband's trade ban is in response to controversial settlement that risks killing off any hope of a two-state solution for Palestine READ MORE: Ed Miliband is a 'failed figure' and a 'joke' who's 'made Britain irrelevant', blasts Israeli spokesman amid West Bank sanctions row