Precisely because many believe there has never been a U.S. ambassador to Israel who was as friendly and sympathetic as Mike Huckabee, it is essential to pay close attention to remarks he recently made on two issues: Jewish violence against Palestinians in the territories and restrictions on Christian freedom of worship.
Huckabee, whose views are closely aligned with Israel’s current government, chose to publicly point to its failures. His consistent support gives his words extra weight, and they should be seen as a serious warning regarding the future of American support for Israel.
Huckabee is a Baptist minister and a Republican politician. He served as governor of Arkansas, a role now held by his daughter Sarah, who was Press Secretary of the White House during Donald Trump's first term as president. In recent years, isolationism has grown within the party of Trump and Huckabee, alongside rhetoric that some view as more permissive toward antisemitism than was previously tolerated.
At the same time, criticism of aspects of Israel’s conduct has been increasing among Democrats, particularly where its actions appear to contradict the shared liberal values that long underpinned Democratic support. In light of these troubling trends in both parties, it is vital to preserve the backing of those American constituencies often seen as “guaranteed,” including pro-Israel Christians. To do so, one must understand who Huckabee is and especially what concerns him.
Huckabee frequently frames his views on Israel through a religious lens. Although he now holds an official role, he continues to express deeply held theological and ideological positions. In a recent interview with Tucker Carlson, he suggested that Israel’s rights extend, in principle, from the Nile in Egypt to the Euphrates in Iraq, as they appear in the covenant with Abraham. In the past, he has rejected the term “West Bank” in favor of “Judea and Samaria,” disputed the characterization of settlements – to him, they are towns and villages, and he has said that there is no "occupation" but a rightful deed of 3,500 years.
And yet this same ambassador, an outspoken supporter of Greater Israel and of the settlement enterprise, recently warned about what he has described in stark terms as "acts of terrorism" by Jewish extremists against Palestinians in the territories and the cumulative damage it causes. Secretary of State Rubio has also addressed the issue, and there were reports of a harsh conversation on the matter between the Vice-President JD Vance and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Tova HerzlAs for freedom of worship: last week, on Palm Sunday, one of the most important days in the Christian calendar, Israeli police prevented the Latin Patriarch from reaching the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, in line with centuries-long practice. This time, he was accompanied by only three members of clergy, apparently not contravening Home Front regulations on the permitted size of gatherings. Huckabee's Baptist tradition has differences and at times tensions with Catholicism. Nevertheless, he issued a public statement saying it was “difficult to understand or justify” the decision to block the Patriarch’s entry. The matter was eventually resolved, but not before prompting sharp reactions across the Christian world.
It is increasingly evident that even by the standards of a staunch ally like Huckabee, certain shortcomings in Israel’s conduct cannot be overlooked. Israel prides itself on guaranteeing freedom of religion, yet it does not always display the sensitivity such a commitment requires. Current security constraints are real, but the measure jarred, particularly when contrasted with reports of undisturbed Jewish religious gatherings, that clearly contravene official guidelines currently in place.
On the other issue Huckabee highlighted - while Israel presents itself as a state governed by the rule of law, there are increasing instances in the territories of private individuals taking the law into their own hands, causing harm to people and property, which have led to death and expulsion. Sometimes state-provided resources are used, which may or may not originate from foreign aid received from the U.S.
Huckabee’s remarks are not an attack from an adversary or a frequent critic that can be easily dismissed. Rather, they reflect the concern of a committed friend. At a time when public attention is focused on immediate physical threats and Israeli ears are attuned to alerts and alarms regarding incoming missiles, it is equally important, given the strategic risks inherent in eroding American support, to listen carefully to the verbal warnings and alarms that he is sounding.
- Tova Herzl is a former Israeli ambassador to South Africa and the Baltic countries, and served as liaison between the U.S. Congress and the Israeli Embassy in Washington