The Senate confirmed former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee as the Trump administration’s ambassador to Israel following a 53-46 vote, shortly after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to the White House.
Driving the news: An earlier meeting between Netanyahu and President Trump left the Israeli Prime Minister without major policy victories, unlike his previous successful visit.
- Trump’s decisions, including maintaining tariffs on Israeli imports and initiating talks with Iran over its nuclear program, contradicting Netanyahu’s preferences.
The big picture: As a prominent evangelical Christian, Huckabee assured lawmakers during a hearing that he would prioritize the President’s agenda over his personal beliefs while serving as ambassador to Israel.
- Huckabee’s past support for policies, such as Israel annexing the West Bank and disregarding the term “Palestinians” for Arab descendants in British-controlled Palestine, raised concerns but he pledged to follow the administration’s directives.
- His history of advocating for policies like rejecting the idea of a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine and using the term “Judea and Samaria” for the West Bank aligns with right-wing Israeli perspectives.
- The former presidential candidate acknowledged his previous stance on controversial issues but emphasized that his role as an ambassador would require him to adhere to the President’s stance on foreign policy matters.
- Huckabee expressed his commitment to representing the President’s priorities accurately while acknowledging the responsibility of serving as an ambassador to Israel within the framework of US foreign policy objectives.
