WASHINGTON — Mike Huckabee, President Trump’s choice for ambassador to Israel, is scheduled for a Senate confirmation hearing on Tuesday. This comes as efforts by U.S. and Arab mediators to broker peace between Israel and Hamas resume following recent Israeli airstrikes.
Trump nominated Huckabee, a prominent evangelical Christian known for his strong support of Israel, for the key ambassadorship in Jerusalem shortly after his reelection, fulfilling a campaign promise to resolve the ongoing 17-month conflict.
Huckabee’s confirmation could further destabilize the already tense situation in the Middle East, given his past stances on the conflict that diverge significantly from established U.S. policy.
The former Arkansas governor has previously expressed support for Israel’s right to annex the West Bank and integrate its Palestinian population. He has also consistently advocated for using the biblical term “Judea and Samaria” to refer to the West Bank, a change that right-wing Israeli politicians and activists have unsuccessfully urged the U.S. to adopt.
Notably, Huckabee has long opposed a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians. In a previous interview, he questioned the very existence of a distinct “Palestinian” identity, arguing that the term was appropriated by Yasser Arafat in 1962.
“There really isn’t such a thing,” he said on the podcast show “Think Twice” with Jonathan Tobin. “It’s a term that was co-opted by Yasser Arafat in 1962,” referring to one of the early leaders of the Palestine Liberation Organization.
During the same interview, Huckabee identified himself as an “unapologetic, unreformed Zionist.”
As the situation in Gaza has worsened following the breakdown of the ceasefire and hostage agreement between Israel and Hamas, Israeli officials are reportedly considering re-occupation of the territory, a move strongly opposed by the Biden administration.
Trump has also proposed potential U.S. involvement in Gaza, sparking both interest and strong condemnation from Arab nations and other parties.
Huckabee is expected to face questions on these issues, as well as the ongoing Israeli military operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon and the persistent threats posed by Iran and Iranian-backed groups like the Houthis in Yemen.
In his prepared remarks, obtained by The Associated Press, Huckabee avoids specific mention of annexation or Trump’s Gaza plan. However, he is expected to express implicit support for both, criticizing past Mideast policies as “failed” and emphasizing the need for “entirely new ways” to achieve peace.
He intends to reaffirm his strong support for Trump’s pro-Israel policies during his first term, including the recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, the relocation of the U.S. embassy, the recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, and the brokering of the Abraham Accords, which normalized relations between Israel and several Arab nations, such as the UAE and Bahrain.
“President Trump’s first term was the most consequential for Israel and the Middle East ever with his historic Abraham Accords, and finally moving our embassy to Jerusalem, the ancient, indigenous and biblical eternal capital of the Jewish people,” Huckabee’s prepared remarks say.
Trump’s pick for ambassador to Panama also testifying
Kevin Cabrera, Trump’s nominee for ambassador to Panama, will also testify before the committee on Tuesday. Panama has reportedly resisted Trump’s repeated calls for the U.S. to seize the Panama Canal for national security reasons, citing potential threats from China. The status of the canal was a key focus during Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s visit to Panama City in February.
“One of the key aspects of our cooperation is ensuring the security of the Panama Canal, a critical international waterway that facilitates global trade and economic growth,” Cabrera will say according to remarks prepared for the hearing.
He plans to commend the Panamanian government’s decisions to withdraw from China’s Belt and Road Initiative and to review contracts with a Chinese company operating ports at both ends of the canal. The company has tentatively agreed to sell its interests in the port subsidiaries, but the deal is not yet finalized.
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Amiri reported from New York.
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