Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee has been nominated to serve as U.S. Ambassador to Israel, underscoring his longstanding support.

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Karah Rucker Reporter

U.S.

Trump nominates former Gov. Mike Huckabee for US ambassador to Israel

Nov 12

Karah Rucker Reporter

By Karah Rucker (Reporter), Alex Delia (Producer), Ian Kennedy (Video Editor)

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee has been nominated to serve as U.S. ambassador to Israel, a key diplomatic post that underscores his longstanding support for the country. Huckabee’s nomination is expected to proceed smoothly with strong backing from fellow Republicans.

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Huckabee, a vocal advocate for Israel throughout his political career, has aligned his support with his evangelical Christian beliefs. He’s consistently backed Israeli policies, including the expansion of settlements in the West Bank.

More recently, Huckabee opposed efforts to secure a cease-fire between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas, stating that the U.S. had “no valid reason” to support such negotiations.

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The former governor has also made controversial statements regarding Palestinians. Huckabee previously dismissed the existence of a Palestinian identity, asserting “there’s really no such thing as a Palestinian.”

He reiterated similar views in 2015, claiming that Palestinians didn’t have a long history dating back centuries.

Huckabee’s confirmation as ambassador is expected to face little resistance, especially from Republicans.

The 68-year-old is well known in conservative circles. He has served as governor of Arkansas, hosted a popular Fox News show and is the father of rising GOP star, Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders.

Huckabee’s nomination comes as part of a broader series of diplomatic appointments by President-elect Donald Trump.

In recent days, Trump has named Florida Republican Rep. Mike Waltz as national security adviser and New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik as his nominee for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.

Trump is also expected to nominate Florida Sen. Marco Rubio as secretary of state, a lineup that shares Huckabee’s pro-Israel stance and signals a continued strong U.S. commitment to Israel in future foreign policy.

Tags: 2024 Elections, Arkansas, Donald Trump, East Palestine, Gaza, Hamas, Israel, Jerusalem, Palestine

IN A MAJOR DIPLOMATIC DEVELOPMENT, FORMER ARKANSAS GOVERNOR MIKE HUCKABEE HAS BEEN NOMINATED TO SERVE AS THE U.S. AMBASSADOR TO ISRAEL.

HUCKABEE, A LONGTIME AND VOCAL SUPPORTER OF ISRAEL, HAS FRAMED HIS PRO-ISRAEL STANCE THROUGH THE LENS OF HIS EVANGELICAL CHRISTIAN FAITH. THROUGHOUT HIS POLITICAL CAREER, HE HAS BEEN A STRONG ADVOCATE FOR ISRAELI POLICIES, INCLUDING SUPPORTING THE EXPANSION OF SETTLEMENTS.

Mike Huckabee
“There are certain words I refuse to use. There is no such thing as a West Bank. It’s Judea and Samaria. There’s no such thing as a settlement. They’re communities. They’re neighborhoods. They’re cities. There’s no such thing as an occupation.”

MORE RECENTLY, HUCKABEE HAS OPPOSED EFFORTS TO BROKER A CEASEFIRE BETWEEN ISRAEL AND THE PALESTINIAN MILITANT GROUP HAMAS, ASSERTING EARLIER THIS YEAR THAT THE U.S. HAS “NO VALID REASON” TO SUPPORT NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES.

HUCKABEE’S VIEWS ON THE ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN CONFLICT HAVE BEEN CONTROVERSIAL. IN 2008, HE DISMISSED THE EXISTENCE OF A PALESTINIAN IDENTITY, CLAIMING THERE’S “REALLY NO SUCH THING AS A PALESTINIAN.”

“and basically I mean there really is no such thing as I have to be careful saying this because people….really there’s no such as a Palestinian…

before before 1948 there was all Arabs…

I mean was Arab and Persians you don’t you know and there’s such complexity within that there’s really no such thing um that that’s been a political tool to try to force land away from Israel

HUCKABEE’S NOMINATION IS NOT EXPECTED TO FACE SIGNIFICANT OPPOSITION, PARTICULARLY FROM FELLOW REPUBLICANS. KNOWN FOR HIS PAST ROLE AS A FOX NEWS HOST AND AS THE FATHER OF ARKANSAS GOVERNOR SARAH HUCKABEE SANDERS, HUCKABEE HAS SOLIDIFIED HIS REPUTATION WITHIN THE PARTY.

Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders

“I wanna start off… slightly off topic … by saying how unbelievably proud that my dad for being nominated as President Trump’s ambassador to Israel.” *applause*

HIS APPOINTMENT COMES AS PART OF A BROADER SET OF KEY NATIONAL SECURITY AND DIPLOMATIC NOMINATIONS ANNOUNCED BY PRESIDENT ELECT DONALD TRUMP IN RECENT DAYS.

ALONG WITH HUCKABEE, MIKE WALTZ HAS BEEN TAPPED AS NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER, AND ELISE STEFANIK HAS BEEN NOMINATED AS THE NEXT U.S. AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS. TRUMP IS ALSO SET TO ANNOUNCE FLORIDA SENATOR MARCO RUBIO AS HIS PICK FOR SECRETARY OF STATE.

LIKE HUCKABEE, ALL OF THESE FIGURES ARE KNOWN FOR THEIR STRONG, UNWAVERING SUPPORT OF ISRAEL, SIGNALING A CONTINUED PRO-ISRAEL STANCE IN U.S. FOREIGN POLICY UNDER A POTENTIAL TRUMP ADMINISTRATION.

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FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS… I’M KARAH RUCKER.