On November 13, 2024, in the United States, President-elect Trump announced on Tuesday, November 12, that he would nominate former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee to be the Ambassador to Israel.
Huckabee is a staunch defender of Israel. His potential nomination comes at a time when Trump has pledged to align U.S. foreign policy more closely with Israeli interests. Israel has been engaged in ongoing conflicts with Iran-backed Hamas and Hezbollah for over a year, with the U.S. consistently emphasizing support for Israel’s right to self-defense.
“For many years, Mike Huckabee has been a great public servant, governor, and faith leader,” Trump said in a statement. “He loves Israel and the Israeli people, and in the same way, the Israeli people adore him. Mike will tirelessly work towards achieving Middle East peace!”
Huckabee has long been one of the most fervent supporters of Israel among Evangelical Christians.
On October 7, 2023, Hamas launched a large-scale attack on Israel, killing over a thousand Israelis and taking numerous hostages. In response, Israel initiated the Gaza War to eliminate Hamas, resulting in tens of thousands of Palestinian deaths. On October 8, 2023, Hamas ally Hezbollah in Lebanon began attacking the northern border of Israel to pressure them to cease the Gaza War. This led to approximately 60,000 Israeli civilians being displaced from their homes. Israel has been conducting intensive airstrikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon to eliminate the border threat, and the conflict is ongoing.
In efforts to prevent further escalation in the Middle East and contain the spread of hostilities, the Biden administration has been actively engaging in discussions with countries such as Qatar and Egypt, hoping to mediate a ceasefire and secure a hostage release agreement, but with no success so far.
Since President Trump’s election as the 47th President of the United States, there has been keen interest in how he will address this Middle East crisis and work towards resolving it.