US Ambassador Calls West Bank Jewish Attackers 'Terrorists'

U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, has labeled extremist Jewish perpetrators of hate crimes in the West Bank as "terrorists." He warned that their actions are severely damaging Israel's image and standing in the United States.

In a Friday morning interview with Israeli public broadcaster Kan, Huckabee addressed attacks carried out by Jewish settlers in the West Bank, emphasizing that these acts harm Israel's reputation as a nation and a people. "This is unfortunate, because Israel currently needs all the friends it can get, and it doesn't need more enemies," he stated.

Huckabee's remarks follow his previous condemnations of attacks by extremist Jewish settlers. Last month, he described Jewish assailants who blockaded Palestinian residents in the town of Qusra as "Israeli terrorists." His latest comments came after an incident earlier this week where a mosque in the West Bank village of Bazeiria was set on fire, with graffiti reportedly including a message directed at the ambassador: "Huckabee, greetings from the terrorists."

The ambassador expressed that he was not personally afraid of the graffiti but stressed the seriousness of the issue and the deep damage these attacks inflict on Israel, including within Republican circles in the U.S. He voiced concern that repeated incidents could shape a negative perception of Israel among American youth, potentially influencing their future views.

Regarding Iran, Huckabee described Tehran as experiencing significant military and economic weakness, attributing this to actions taken by U.S. President Donald Trump. He believes the Iranian regime may attempt to project strength but that this does not reflect the reality of their situation. Huckabee also rejected claims that Trump is delaying action on Iran's nuclear program, asserting that the U.S. cannot ignore the ongoing threat Iran poses.