Trump's Ambassador to Israel Considers the Annexation of the West Bank Possible

Donald Trump, who was elected as the 47th President of the United States and is preparing for his second presidential term, announced yesterday that he would appoint former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee as ambassador to Israel.

"THE ANNEXATION OF THE WEST BANK IS OF COURSE POSSIBLE"

Speaking to Israeli army radio, Huckabee commented on the "annexation of the occupied West Bank," which has been frequently mentioned by far-right ministers in Israel recently. In the interview, Huckabee often referred to the occupied West Bank as "Judea" and "Samaria" in accordance with Jewish traditions, and in response to the hosts' question about the possible annexation of the occupied West Bank during Trump's second term, he answered, "Of course."

"NO ONE HAS DONE MORE THAN TRUMP"

Huckabee stated that Trump would determine the policy and he would implement it, claiming that during his first term, Trump contributed more than any other U.S. president to "ensuring the recognition of Israel's sovereignty." Huckabee said, "From the relocation of the embassy, to the recognition of (Israeli sovereignty in) the Golan Heights, and the acceptance of Jerusalem as the capital, no one has done more than President Trump, and I hope this will continue."

Regarding the plans to displace Palestinians from the Gaza Strip to create new settlements for Israelis, Huckabee stated, "I haven't had time to evaluate that."

HE HAD ARGUED THAT THERE WAS NO OCCUPATION IN THE WEST BANK

Huckabee is known to have supported the settlements established on the seized Palestinian territories in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem. During his visit to the seized Palestinian land of Maale Adumim in East Jerusalem in 2017, Huckabee openly expressed his support for this settlement.

Huckabee stated, "There are some words I refuse to use. There is no such thing as the West Bank. There is Judea and Samaria (the names given by Jews to the West Bank). There is no such thing as (illegal) settlements. There are communities, neighborhoods, and cities." Huckabee also claimed that there is no occupation in the West Bank.

In the occupied West Bank, there are 451,000 Israelis, and approximately 230,000 in East Jerusalem, seizing Palestinian lands. According to international law, these seizures in the West Bank and East Jerusalem are considered illegal.