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Huckabee Condemns ‘Terrorist’ Attacks on Palestinians in West Bank Town Hall
Confirmed
In Short: US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee condemned settler violence in the West Bank, calling it an act of terror and damaging Israel's global image.
In a visit to the West Bank village of Turmus Ayya, US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee condemned the violence perpetrated by Israeli settlers against Palestinians, describing the actions as "terrorist." The escalation of attacks has been linked to the start of Israel's military operation in Gaza in October 2023, with settler violence exceeding 1,800 incidents in 2025, according to the United Nations.
Huckabee's comments come amid a sharp increase in attacks by Israeli occupiers against Palestinians, with over 1,000 Palestinians killed since October 2023, according to Palestinian health authorities. The US ambassador also visited the home of a Palestinian family that was attacked by Israeli settlers, highlighting the ongoing violence and its impact on local communities.
During his visit, Huckabee stated, "When you try to create an atmosphere in which people feel uncomfortable living in their own homes, their children playing in their own lawns and yards, and people feeling that they’re not safe and that they’re not secure because of the behavior, the actions, and the intimidation of others, that’s terrorism by any definition." He emphasized that the US government will continue to send the message that Palestinians have a right to live with security and safety.
The ambassador's visit to Turmus Ayya, north of Ramallah, also included a visit to a mosque that was set on fire by Israeli settlers. The incident was accompanied by graffiti on the walls reading, "Huckabee regards from the terrorists," in Hebrew. Despite the graffiti, Huckabee maintained that the damage to Israel's image is significant, even among Republicans in the US.
Huckabee further noted that the violence against Palestinians damages Israel's reputation worldwide, stating, "It hurts the image of Israel as a country and as a people, and I find that unfortunate because Israel desperately needs every friend it can get and does not need more enemies." His comments reflect the growing concern among US officials about the impact of settler violence on Israel's international standing.
What's confirmed
- “If there are squatters that come in and put up their own flags and take possession of something that does not belong to them, if they burn a car, if they torch a mosque, if they go into someone’s home and vandali s e it, or if they paint graffiti on the walls, that’s a criminal act. But it extends beyond a criminal act. It’s an act of terror,” Huckabee said during his visit to the village of Turmus Ayya, which has reported frequent attacks by settlers over the past year.
What's still developing
- READ: UN report raises concerns of ‘ethnic cleansing’ in 3 West Bank refugee camps He said he feared that young Americans’ knowledge of Israel could be limited to such incidents, negatively affecting their perception.
- Around 750,000 occupiers live in 156 illegal settlements and 360 settlement outposts in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and carry out attacks aimed at forcibly displacing Palestinians, according to Palestinian figures.
- Commenting on the graffiti, Huckabee said he was not personally concerned by the writings on the walls, but described them as “a serious matter,” noting that the damage they cause to Israel is significant, even among Republicans in the US.
- On the conflict with Iran, Huckabee said it is very difficult to predict what Iranians will do, claiming they are in a “very weak” military and economic position.
- “I do not think so, and again I say this based on the president’s statements. He has never hinted that he is willing to ignore the fundamental problem the US has with Iran, which is its continuous threat for 47 and a half years to bring death to America,” Huckabee said.
- Despite his criticism of occupier violence, Huckabee is known for adopting Christian Zionist views and has claimed that Israel has “the right to control large parts” extending from the Nile to the Euphrates and large areas of the Middle East.
- Contrary to UN resolutions and international law, Huckabee claimed that the presence of occupiers in the West Bank is “legal.” The UN considers the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, occupied Palestinian territory and regards Israeli changes there, particularly settlement activity, as illegal under international law.
- His phone rings non-stop these days as his town is suddenly hemmed in, he said, by the Mevo Dotan settlement to the west, the newly founded Emek Dotan settlement to the north and several new Israeli settler outposts to the south.