U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee made strong statements on Tuesday during an interview with The Jerusalem Post at its Diplomatic Conference. He criticized European nations for their push to recognize a Palestinian state, claiming this effort has severely harmed negotiations for the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.
Huckabee stated that the European push for unilateral recognition was detrimental to the ongoing negotiations. He emphasized that it complicated efforts to resolve the situation involving the hostages. “What destroyed the negotiations for the hostages was the European nations going and having this push for a unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state,” he asserted.
He pointed out that Hamas has never been close to a resolution and stressed the brutality of the group. Huckabee recalled the horrific events of October 7, when Hamas carried out violent attacks. He argued that negotiating with such a group is fundamentally different from typical diplomatic discussions. “These are not normal people,” he said, highlighting the severity of their actions.
Huckabee also expressed strong opposition to the idea of recognizing a Palestinian state, calling it a violation of the Oslo Accords and a mere stunt at the United Nations. He urged nations to refrain from pursuing this path, stating it would not lead to the establishment of a Palestinian state.
In addition, Huckabee mentioned that if Israel chose to assert sovereignty over Judea and Samaria, the U.S. would not oppose such a move. He reiterated that the U.S. respects Israel as a sovereign nation and would not dictate its actions.
He described the terms “West Bank” as modern and suggested using the historical names Judea and Samaria instead, noting their significance in the Bible. Huckabee’s comments reflect a strong U.S. support for Israel amidst ongoing tensions in the region.
