Washington
CNN
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President-elect Donald Trump introduced Tuesday that he has nominated former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee to function United States ambassador to Israel, a powerful defender of Israel who as soon as argued that there was “no such factor as a Palestinian.”
“Mike has been an awesome public servant, Governor, and Chief in Religion for a few years. He loves Israel, and the individuals of Israel, and likewise, the individuals of Israel love him. Mike will work tirelessly to result in Peace within the Center East!” Trump mentioned in a press release.
Huckabee’s daughter, Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, served as Trump’s press secretary throughout his first administration.
Huckabee has been staunchly pro-Israeli all through his profession – together with on what he says is the nation’s claims to the West Financial institution.
On Wednesday he mentioned it was “in fact” attainable that the US would again the Israeli authorities if it have been to try to annex the Israeli-occupied territory.
In an interview on Israeli Military Radio, Huckabee was requested whether or not the Trump administration would help annexation within the West Financial institution, identified in Israel as making use of “sovereignty.”
“Properly in fact,” Huckabee mentioned. “I received’t make the coverage, I’ll perform the coverage of the president. However he has already demonstrated in his first time period that there’s by no means been an American president that has been extra useful in securing an understanding of the sovereignty of Israel.”
“From the transferring of the embassy, recognition of the Golan Heights and Jerusalem because the capital. Nobody has completed greater than President Trump. And I absolutely count on that that can proceed.”
Israel has occupied the West Financial institution since seizing the territory from Jordan in 1967. Within the a long time since, it has expanded Jewish settlements within the space, that are thought-about unlawful underneath worldwide legislation, regardless of signing a collection of peace agreements with the Palestinians within the Nineteen Nineties. Round half 1,000,000 Israelis stay in West Financial institution settlements.
His choice will come as a welcome fruits of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s lengthy mission to shore up ties to American evangelicals.
Huckabee has spent ample time in Israel, and he led a tour within the nation for the corporate Senior Grownup Journey Inc. as not too long ago as Might, based on the corporate’s web site.
In a video obtained by CNN’s Andrew Kaczynski throughout Huckabee’s 2015 run for president, Huckabee prompt that if a Palestinian state have been to be created, it ought to be in neighboring international locations like Egypt, Syria or Jordan, quite than inside Israel’s borders.
“Principally, there actually isn’t any such factor as — I have to be cautious about saying this, as a result of individuals will actually get upset — there’s actually no such factor as a Palestinian,” Huckabee mentioned at a 2008 marketing campaign cease in Massachusetts whereas talking to 2 Orthodox Jewish males. “There’s not.”
He’s been a supporter of Israeli settlements within the West Financial institution, together with laying a cornerstone for a brand new neighborhood in one of many largest settlements, simply east of Jerusalem, in 2017.
He instructed CNN’s Oren Lieberman on the time that he rejected using the phrase “settlements.”
“I believe Israel has title deed to Judea and Samaria,” mentioned Huckabee, utilizing the biblical phrases for the West Financial institution. “There are particular phrases I refuse to make use of. There is no such thing as a such factor as a West Financial institution. It’s Judea and Samaria. There’s no such factor as a settlement. They’re communities, they’re neighborhoods, they’re cities. There’s no such factor as an occupation.”
Israeli officers welcomed Trump’s alternative of ambassador.
Far-right finance minister Bezalel Smotrich, who’s pushing for the annexation of settlements within the Israeli-occupied West Financial institution, congratulated Huckabee in a publish on X.
Smotrich, who’s answerable for the settlements, wrote of Huckabee, “As a constant and constant pal of the State of Israel and a supporter of the settlement enterprise in Judea and Samaria, who for a few years fought for our state and our proper to all elements of the Land of Israel, I’ve little doubt that we have now received and along with him we are going to strengthen Israel’s safety and power and strengthen our maintain in all its areas.”
Newly appointed International Minister Gideon Sa’ar known as Huckabee a “longstanding pal of Israel” in a publish on X and mentioned he seems to be ahead to working to “strengthen the bond between our peoples.”
Israel’s ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, additionally congratulated Huckabee, saying, “I believe he can be an awesome ambassador to Israel.” Dannon mentioned Huckabee is “very acquainted” with the info on the bottom and has been to Israel a number of instances, together with after the lethal October 7, 2023, Hamas assaults.
Minister of Nationwide Safety Itamar Ben-Gvir additionally expressed his help. He posted Huckabee’s title to X, adopted by emojis of the American flag, a coronary heart and an Israeli flag.
CNN’s Lauren Izso, Dana Karni and Mick Krever contributed to this report.