Huckabee, Trump’s Pick for Israel Ambassador, Holds Controversial Stance on Palestinian State
Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, President-elect Donald Trump’s choice for ambassador to Israel, has a history of strongly advocating for Israeli interests and rejecting the creation of a Palestinian state in disputed territories, The Associated Press reports.
This stance stands in contrast to longstanding US policy and has sparked debate about his suitability for the role.
Huckabee, a former TV host and Baptist preacher, has consistently argued that the West Bank, captured by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War, rightfully belongs to Israel, even going so far as to claim “the title deed was given by God to Abraham and to his heirs.” This position contradicts the long-held US support for a two-state solution, which aims to establish an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel.
He has been a vocal critic of any solution that would require the displacement of Israeli settlers from the West Bank, stating in 2015 that recognizing the territory as Israeli would be the “formal position” of his administration.
Huckabee has also made controversial statements about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, including comparing the Iran nuclear deal to the Holocaust and dismissing the term “Palestinian” as a fabrication. In a recent interview, he described himself as an “unapologetic, unreformed Zionist” and expressed disdain for what he calls “radical Muslims.”
His comments have been widely condemned by those who see them as inflammatory and divisive, particularly in the wake of the recent deadly conflict between Israel and Hamas.
In response to the October 7 attack by Hamas, Huckabee described it as “horrific” and “beyond anything I’ve ever witnessed in my lifetime,” expressing outrage over the use of social media by Hamas to spread images of the killings.
