washington
CNN
—
President-elect Donald Trump announced Tuesday that he has appointed former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, a strong defender of Israel who once claimed “there are no Palestinians,” to be the U.S. ambassador to Israel.
“Mike has been a great public servant, governor, and faith leader for many years. God loves Israel and the people of Israel, and the people of Israel love God as well. Mike brought peace to the Middle East. We will continue to work tirelessly to bring this to fruition!” President Trump said in a statement.
Huckabee’s daughter, Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, served as press secretary during President Trump’s first administration.
Huckabee has been staunchly pro-Israel throughout his career, including on Israel’s claims to the West Bank.
He said Wednesday that it was “of course” possible that the United States would support the Israeli government if it sought to annex occupied territory.
In an interview with Israel Army Radio, Huckabee was asked whether the Trump administration would support annexation of the West Bank, known in Israel as an application of “sovereignty.”
“Of course,” Huckabee said. “I don’t set policy, I carry out the president’s policy. But he made it clear in his first term that no American president has done more to ensure understanding of Israeli sovereignty. It has been proven.”
“From moving embassies to recognizing the Golan Heights and Jerusalem as the capital, no one has done more than President Trump, and I fully expect that to continue.”
Israel has occupied the West Bank since seizing the territory from Jordan in 1967. Despite signing a series of peace deals with the Palestinians in the 1990s, Israel has spent decades expanding Jewish settlements in the region, which are considered illegal under international law. . Approximately 500,000 Israelis live in West Bank settlements.
His selection would come as a welcome culmination of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s long-standing mission to strengthen ties with American evangelicals.
Huckabee has spent a significant amount of time in Israel, most recently leading a tour for Senior Adult Travel in May, according to the company’s website.
In a video obtained by CNN’s Andrew Kaczynski during Huckabee’s 2015 candidacy, Huckabee said that if a Palestinian state were to be created, it would not be within Israel’s borders but in neighboring countries such as Egypt, Syria and Jordan. He suggested that the country should be founded in
“Basically, there’s no such thing as a Palestinian – you have to be careful when you say this, because people are going to get really upset – there’s no such thing as a Palestinian. I don’t,” Mr. Huckabee told two people during a campaign stop in Massachusetts in 2008. Orthodox Jewish man. “That’s not true.”
He has supported Israeli settlements in the West Bank, including in 2017 laying the foundation stone for a new district in one of the largest settlements just east of Jerusalem.
He told CNN’s Oren Lieberman at the time that he refused to use the word “reconciliation.”
“I believe Israel has the title deeds to Judea and Samaria,” Huckabee said, using the Biblical term for the West Bank. “There are words that I am not allowed to use. There is no such thing as the West Bank. There is no such thing as Judea and Samaria. There is no such thing as reconciliation. They are communities, neighborhoods, cities. There is no such thing as a profession. do not.”
Israeli officials welcomed President Trump’s selection of ambassador.
Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who is pushing for the annexation of settlements in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, congratulated Huckabee on his post about X.
Mr. Smotrich, the head of the settlement, wrote of Huckabee: “As a consistent and loyal friend of the State of Israel and supporter of the settlement project in Judea and Samaria, we have fought for our country and our rights for many years. Everywhere in the Land of Israel, we will prevail. I believe without a doubt that he has done so and will work with him to strengthen Israel’s security and strength and strengthen our control in all its spaces.”
Newly appointed Foreign Minister Gideon Saar called Mr. Huckabee a “long-time friend of Israel” in a post on said.
Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon also congratulated Huckabee, saying, “I think he will be a great ambassador for Israel.” Danon said Huckabee is “very familiar” with the facts on the ground and has visited Israel numerous times, including after the deadly Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023.
Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir also expressed support. He posted Huckabee’s name as an X, followed by American flag, heart, and Israeli flag emojis.
CNN’s Lauren Izso, Dana Karni and Mick Krever contributed to this report.
