Huckabee accuses Israeli farmers of trespassing after apparent Palestinian setup

Israeli report says U.S. ambassador was shown a routine security patrol and led to believe he was witnessing Jewish trespassers entering Palestinian property.

By World Israel News Staff

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee publicly accused Jewish residents of trespassing on Palestinian property Saturday after an encounter in the village of Turmus Ayya that an Israeli report says was staged to give the ambassador a false impression of what he was witnessing.

Huckabee visited Turmus Ayya, near Ramallah, where he met with Palestinian-Americans who told him about alleged vandalism, intimidation and violence by Jewish residents of Judea and Samaria.

About 80 percent of the village’s roughly 3,000 residents hold U.S. citizenship, according to Mayor Nawwaf Zaghoul.

During the visit, Huckabee was taken to an area near a Palestinian home where an American flag was displayed.

Video from the scene shows an all-terrain vehicle carrying Jewish residents passing nearby as Huckabee raises his cellphone and films them.

According to Channel 14 Judea and Samaria correspondent Eliya Aviv, however, the vehicle belonged to the security ranger of a nearby Jewish farm and was traveling along a route regularly used to patrol the farm.

Aviv reported that Palestinian residents brought Huckabee to the location and presented the passing security patrol as Jewish settlers entering Palestinian-owned property.

Huckabee subsequently posted his video of the Israelis on X and described them as trespassers.

“Visited Americans in Turmusayya in constructive town hall to hear disturbing stories of criminal & terrorist actions by band of trespassers who brazenly roam through property of lawful property owners like these guys,” Huckabee wrote.

“Disgraceful acts that don’t reflect 99% of Israelis.”

Footage of the encounter shows someone standing near Huckabee telling him, “There is no respect for nobody,” as the ATV passes. Huckabee responds, “Yeah,” while continuing to film.

People present during the visit told Israel’s Channel 12 that Huckabee said he intended to send the footage personally to President Donald Trump.

There was no indication in Huckabee’s post that the identity of the men in the ATV, the purpose of their presence or the status of the route had been independently verified before he described them as a “band of trespassers.”

Channel 14’s account directly contradicted the version apparently presented to Huckabee, reporting that the men were conducting a regular security patrol connected to the nearby Jewish farm.

Huckabee’s visit came amid heightened attention to allegations of violence by Jewish extremists in Judea and Samaria.

During his meeting in Turmus Ayya, Palestinian-American residents told Huckabee about homes being vandalized, children being threatened and incidents of violence and intimidation.

Huckabee said he supports the right of Israelis to live in Judea and Samaria while distinguishing those residents from people who engage in violence.

“I support Israelis living in Judea/Samaria where they have right to be, but NO student of Bible supports lawlessness,” he wrote.

Speaking to reporters during the visit, Huckabee said several hundred people could be responsible for violent incidents and described them as a small minority of the Jewish population in Judea and Samaria.

“There may be a few hundred who are responsible, but that’s a few hundred too many,” he said.

The ambassador has become increasingly outspoken on the issue in recent weeks, including describing Jewish extremists accused of attacks against Palestinians as “terrorists.”

Last week, a mosque in the village of Bizzariya was set on fire and Hebrew graffiti reading “Regards to Huckabee from the terrorists” was sprayed nearby.

Huckabee referenced the incident during Saturday’s visit, saying the perpetrators had effectively identified themselves by using the term.

Turmus Ayya has previously been the site of clashes and attacks involving both Israelis and Palestinians.

In June 2023, hundreds of Israelis entered the village following a Palestinian shooting attack near Eli that killed four Israelis. Homes, cars and other property were set on fire during the ensuing violence.

The village also has connections to a deadly Palestinian terror attack.

Lafi Shalabi, who was elected mayor of Turmus Ayya in 2021 while in Israeli custody, was convicted of assisting his cousin, Muntasir Shalabi, after the terrorist carried out a drive-by shooting at Tapuah Junction in May 2021.

The attack killed 19-year-old yeshiva student Yehuda Guetta and wounded two other teenagers.

Israeli authorities said Lafi Shalabi helped Muntasir hide following the shooting. He was sentenced to 10 months in prison under a plea agreement.

Saturday’s incident involving Huckabee quickly drew attention in Israeli media after footage showed the ambassador personally filming the Jewish residents.

While Huckabee’s X post presented the men as an example of the trespassing described to him by village residents, Channel 14’s subsequent report identified their presence as part of a regular security patrol by the neighboring Jewish farm.

Judea and SamariaLafi ShalabiMike HuckabeeTurmus Ayya