Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee vows to do ‘anything’ he can to further the goal of applying Israeli sovereignty over Judea and Samaria.
By World Israel News Staff
Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee appeared to endorse Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plans to apply sovereignty over parts of Judea and Samaria, after he tapped by President-elect Donald Trump to serve as the next U.S. Ambassador to Israel.
On Tuesday, Trump announced his selection of Huckabee, who is expected to be formally nominated shortly after Trump takes office on January 20th. Huckabee’s nomination will then be brought before the Senate, which under the incoming Republican majority is expected to quickly confirm the appointment.
A day later, Israel’s Galey Tzahal radio channel aired an interview with Huckabee in which the former governor and Fox News host responded to the news of his selection as ambassador.
“I am still in a bit of a shock,” Huckabee said.
“This is a wonderful appointment. I am incredibly honored that the President asked me to serve in this capacity. There are still so many things that I am not yet aware of in terms of timing, but on a personal level, this is a wonderful opportunity to serve my country.”
“I visited Israel in 1973, almost 53 years ago and since then I have made dozens of trips to the country. I have taken tens of thousands of Americans to visit Israel and it has been an amazing honor.”
Huckabee added that while as ambassador he does not have discretion regarding American policy vis-a-vis Israel, he would “anything” he can to help promote efforts to extend Israeli sovereignty over Judea and Samaria.
“I have been a frequent visitor to Judea and Samaria and I believe that there is a chance of applying Israeli sovereignty to the region,” Huckabee said.
“I also very much believe that the people of Israel deserve a secure and safe country and I will do anything I can that will help and accommodate this goal.”
“Of course, I will not be the one to make the policy, but I will carry out the president’s policy. But there has never been a U.S. president who has been more helpful in ensuring the sovereignty of Israel. No one has done more for Israel, including recognition of the Golan Heights, than President Trump.”
A long-time supporter of Israel and the settlement movement in Judea and Samaria, Huckabee has in the past rejected the two-state solution and seemingly endorsed the voluntary transfer of Palestinian Arabs out of the area.
In February 2011, Huckabee suggested that Palestinian Arabs be resettled in “a territory that [is] in the hands of Muslims, in the hands of Arabs.”
According to a report by Kan Reshet Bet, Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu has privately reassured senior government ministers that he will resume efforts to apply Israeli sovereignty over parts of Judea and Samaria.
The plans were first drawn up in 2019, but shelved in 2020 as part of the Abraham Accords.