President-elect Donald Trump’s nomination of Mike Huckabee, a thoroughly Christian evangelist conservative, as U.S. ambassador to Israel signals an uncompromising shift in American diplomacy that threatens further to erode prospects for Palestinian rights and a two-state solution. The decision has been met with disappointment across social media.
@PaulRudnickNY wrote on X, “Trump’s appointed Christian nationalist Mike Huckabee as Ambassador to Israel. This choice will unite Israel and Palestine because everyone hates Mike Huckabee.”
Huckabee’s appointment drew immediate praise from Israel’s right-wing government officials but sparked equally fierce criticism from Palestinian advocates and diplomatic experts. The former Arkansas governor’s track record and outspokenness on the long conflict reveals why: he has consistently denied Palestinian identity and rights while championing Israeli settlements considered illegal under international law. His appointment likely means totalizing war on what’s left of Palestinian land.
“There is no such thing as the West Bank—it’s Judea and Samaria. There’s no such thing as settlements—they’re communities, they’re neighborhoods, they’re cities. There is no such thing as an occupation,” Huckabee declared in 2017, revealing his absolute rejection of Palestinian territorial claims.
This stance aligns with his earlier comments from 2008 when he stated, “There’s really no such thing as a Palestinian,” suggesting any Palestinian state should be created in neighboring Arab countries rather than historic Palestine. As an evangelical Christian who regularly leads religious tours to Israel, Huckabee represents a theological approach to Middle East diplomacy. His appointment satisfies evangelical voters crucial to Trump’s base while potentially injecting religious ideology into sensitive diplomatic matters.
The timing proves particularly concerning as Israel continues military operations in Gaza. Huckabee adamantly opposes ceasefire negotiations, comparing talks with Hamas to “trying to negotiate with the Nazis in World War II.” This hardline position suggests little appetite for de-escalation or humanitarian considerations.
Beyond his stance on Israel-Palestine, Huckabee’s recent ventures raise additional red flags. His publishing company produces children’s books containing climate change misinformation and unhinged pro-Trump propaganda, indicating a willingness to spread politically (and religiously) motivated narratives no matter the factual accuracy.
For voters who supported Trump, hoping for a balanced approach to Palestinian rights—or literally anything other than what had been the Biden/Harris approach—this appointment delivers a stark reality check. While the Harris campaign failed to meaningfully court pro-Palestinian voters, Huckabee’s nomination confirms fears that a second Trump term will accelerate Palestinian displacement rather than advance peace.
As if there needed to be any further indication of this reality, far-right Israeli officials clinked their champagne glasses, with Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich praising Huckabee as “a consistent and loyal friend.” Smotrich has said he would push for annexation upon Trump’s inauguration. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar echoed this enthusiasm, highlighting Huckabee’s longstanding support for their apartheid-turned-genocidal policies—even as many Israelis on the ground are against any continued advances into Palestinian land.
These votes of support from figures that desire the advancement of totalizing settler colonialism do not inspire confidence in Palestinian survival in the Gaza Strip or the West Bank. To be clear, the Biden/Harris administration was not coming to the rescue of Palestinians by any means, which is why pro-Palestinian advocates likely voted for Trump or sat out that part of the ballot. The appointment transforms America’s diplomatic presence from a potential peace broker into an ideological ally of Israel’s most hardline positions. With an ambassador who denies Palestinian identity while championing settlement expansion, prospects for balanced U.S. mediation appear increasingly remote.
Published: Nov 14, 2024 01:53 am