On Tuesday, President-elect Donald Trump shared that he’s chosen former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee to be the U.S. ambassador to Israel.
Huckabee is known for being a strong supporter of Israel and has even claimed that Palestinians don’t exist. Trump praised Huckabee, saying he’s been an outstanding public servant, governor, and faith leader for many years.
He expressed Huckabee’s deep love for Israel and noted that the Israeli people feel the same way about him. “Mike will work hard to promote peace in the Middle East!” Trump stated.
Interestingly, Huckabee’s daughter, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who is currently the governor of Arkansas, served as Trump’s press secretary during his first term.
Throughout his career, Huckabee has consistently backed pro-Israel policies, including supporting claims over the West Bank.
When asked on Israeli Army Radio if the U.S. would endorse annexation of this territory by Israel—something referred to in Israel as applying sovereignty—Huckabee responded affirmatively: “Of course! I won’t set policy; I’ll implement what the president decides. But it’s clear that no previous American president has done more for Israel than Trump has—like moving the embassy and recognizing Jerusalem and Golan Heights as part of Israel.”
The West Bank has been under Israeli occupation since 1967 when it was taken from Jordan.
Over time, Israeli settlements have increased there despite being deemed illegal under international law—even after several peace agreements were made with Palestinians back in the ’90s. Today, around half a million Israelis reside in those settlements.
His appointment will be a great achievement for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has been working hard to strengthen relationships with American evangelicals.
Huckabee has spent a lot of time in Israel and even led a tour there for Senior Adult Travel Inc. just last May, according to their website.
Back during his 2015 presidential campaign, Huckabee shared some controversial views in a video obtained by CNN’s Andrew Kaczynski; he suggested that if a Palestinian state were ever established, it should be located in neighboring countries like Egypt, Syria, or Jordan instead of on Israeli land.
He made quite a bold statement back in 2008 during a campaign event in Massachusetts when he told two Orthodox Jewish men that essentially, the concept of a Palestinian identity doesn’t exist—though he acknowledged that saying so might upset some people.
Huckabee has also been an advocate for Israeli settlements in the West Bank and even laid the cornerstone for a new neighborhood in one of the largest settlements near Jerusalem back in 2017. When speaking to CNN’s Oren Lieberman at that time, he expressed his disapproval of the term settlements, asserting instead that Israel rightfully owns Judea and Samaria—the biblical names for the West Bank.
He firmly stated that certain words are off-limits for him: “There’s no such thing as the West Bank; it’s Judea and Samaria,” he insisted. “And those aren’t settlements—they’re communities, neighborhoods, cities. There’s no occupation here.”
Israeli leaders were quite pleased with Trump’s selection for ambassador. Bezalel Smotrich, the far-right finance minister who’s been advocating for annexing settlements in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, took to X to congratulate Huckabee. He praised Huckabee as a steadfast ally of Israel and a supporter of settlement efforts in Judea and Samaria, emphasizing that Huckabee has long fought for Israel’s rights to its land.
Smotrich expressed confidence that together they would enhance Israel’s security and presence across all its territories.
Gideon Sa’ar, the newly appointed Foreign Minister, also chimed in on X, calling Huckabee a longtime friend of Israel and expressing eagerness to strengthen ties between their peoples.
Meanwhile, Danny Danon, Israel’s ambassador to the UN, shared his congratulations too, noting that he believes Huckabee will be an excellent ambassador for Israel.
Danon pointed out that Huckabee is well-acquainted with the realities on the ground and has visited Israel several times—most recently after the tragic Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023. Itamar Ben-Gvir, the Minister of National Security, showed his support as well by posting Huckabee’s name along with emojis representing both American and Israeli flags alongside a heart.