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Theresa May criticises Obama administration's Israeli stance

Prime Minister Theresa May has distanced herself from US President Barack Obama's stance on Israel and condemned the attack by his secretary of state on the Israeli government.

Downing Street said it was "not appropriate" for John Kerry to brand Benjamin Netanyahu's administration as the "most right wing in history", which saw him accused of bias by the Israeli prime minister.

Kerry made the claim while accusing Netanyahu's government of undermining attempts at a two-state solution to the conflict with the Palestinians by building settlements in the West Bank.

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Kerry: 'US vote on UN's Israel resolution reflected our values'

Kerry said the US voted in accordance with its 'values' Credit: Pool

The US did not veto a UN resolution demanding an end to Israeli settlement building because it was in accordance with American "values".

Secretary of State John Kerry said the US had done "more than any other country" to support Israel, but that it could not "stand idly" by as the region becomes more unstable.

"If we were to stand idly by, and know that in doing so we were allowing a dangerous dynamic to take hold - which promises greater conflict and instability - to a region in which we have vital interests, we would be derelict in our own responsibilities," Kerry said.

He added: "Friends need to tell each other the hard truths."

"The US did in fact vote in accordance with our values - just as previous administrations have done at the Security Council before us," he said.

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Theresa May criticises Obama administration's Israeli stance

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