US ambassador Huckabee denies $1 billion fee to join Trump’s Board of Peace

Turning to speculation about postwar realities inside Gaza, Huckabee said renewed Jewish settlement there is not part of the American outline.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee pushed back Thursday in an interview against reports that countries must pay $1 billion to take part in President Donald Trump’s “Peace Council” for Gaza, calling such claims inaccurate while acknowledging that reconstruction support is expected from participants over time.

In remarks to Kan News Radio’s “This Morning” on Reshet Bet, Huckabee said the idea of an upfront payment to join the framework is misleading. “Countries that join will not be required to pay a one-billion-dollar ‘entry fee,’” he said, adding that nations involved would later be asked to help finance rebuilding efforts in the Strip.

The ambassador also addressed questions about Israel’s next steps at the Rafah crossing, suggesting a decision may be approaching. “I believe this will happen soon, that Israel will open the crossing. I understand that Israel is going to make a decision on the matter in the near future,” he said.

Turning to speculation about postwar realities inside Gaza, Huckabee said renewed Jewish settlement there is not part of the American outline. “I am not aware that settlements in the northern part of the Strip are part of the American peace plan,” he said. On discussion of a possible Israeli pullback from the Yellow Line, he emphasized that Israel would not be required to take security risks before the Peace Council is fully operational.

Huckabee also weighed in on criticism directed at Jared Kushner by some Israeli ministers, arguing that the current calm should be recognized. “We need to give Kushner credit for getting us to this point. For four months now there has been a ceasefire and we haven’t had to run to shelters. It’s not perfect, but there is calm that is good for the people of Israel,” he said.

Asked about President Trump’s warning that the United States could “wipe out Iran,” Huckabee said Tehran should not dismiss the threat.

“If I were Iran, I would take the president’s words seriously. The president showed over the summer that he is not afraid to strike, as he did in Fordow,” he said.