In an exclusive interview with Arutz Sheva-Israel National News, US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee addressed the recent controversy surrounding the assassination of American conservative activist Charlie Kirk, the ongoing conflict in Gaza, and Israel’s position on Palestinian statehood.
Huckabee opened by strongly condemning claims from the far-right that Israel was involved in Kirk’s death, claims Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected. “This is a blood libel. It’s absolutely disgusting and vicious,” he said. “The level of untruth is such that it’s hard even to think that you have to defend it. But there are people who will believe the most outrageous lies. I’m very glad the Prime Minister addressed it.”
He highlighted Kirk’s contributions and character: “I’ve known him since he was 19. He was civil, kind, thoughtful, and always allowed people to challenge him respectfully. His murder has awakened a sleeping giant in the United States—among conservatives and even those a little left of center. People understand you don’t kill someone for what they say.”
Turning to the war in Gaza, Huckabee stressed the importance of securing the hostages’ release and ending Hamas’ control: “President Trump wants all hostages to come out, not a few. Hamas cannot govern. They need to understand they’re done. The president has been consistent in this. He’s been instrumental in getting some out, but he wants all of them freed.”
On whether Trump’s public warnings intimidate Hamas, Huckabee said, “It should. They should understand he doesn’t make empty threats. Look at what happened with Iran -they found out he meant what he said.”
Huckabee also addressed the push for Palestinian statehood at the UN next week, describing it as a diplomatic “stunt” with no validity. He noted that the proposal violates the Oslo Accords, has no legal basis at the UN, and has unintentionally strengthened Israel’s position in negotiations: “Hamas ended negotiations, the Palestinian Authority faced financial deadlock, and Israel gained leverage".
Huckabee sees the option of Israeli sovereignty in Judea and Samaria as a direct result of the Palestinian state campaign. "The direct result of all this nonsense talk from the Europeans and the PA", he explained, "is that it really gave Israel a sense of, "well, if you're going to do this - we might as well declare sovereignty overparts of Judea and Samaria". I don't think that's what Macron and France intended, I don't think that's what the British wanted - but that's what they're going to get".
Regarding US-Israel coordination during the attack on Doha, Huckabee confirmed the Israeli airstrike on Hamas's leadership was unilateral: “It wasn’t coordinated with the US or anyone else. Prime Minister Netanyahu was very clear about that, and it hasn’t fractured our relationship with the US in any way.”
When asked if President Trump was truly as angered by the Doha strike as some reports indicated, he responded: "I wasn't there. So I can't answer that. I wasn't in the room. And I don't know what the reaction was, but I know what the reaction is. And the reaction is, is that we don't end or even fracture or strain our relationship with Israel, nor does the president fracture or strain his relationship on a personal level with the prime minister. There's still a bond. In fact, if people say, 'Oh boy, they're really upset with each other. That president Trump is upset with Prime Minister Netanyahu.' Then why on earth was the president inviting him to come down to Washington when he's back in the US to speak at the UN and invite him to come to the White House, which means he's going to have been in the White House more than any other foreign leader by far since he took office? Nobody's even close to as many visits."
On the Abraham Accords, Huckabee cautioned against linking normalization with the establishment of a Palestinian state: “If people insist on a Palestinian state, I want to know: where, who governs, what culture, what curriculum, and will they continue to call for Israel’s destruction?”
Concluding the interview, Huckabee offered words for the Jewish New Year: “Let’s hope the new year brings all hostages home. I pray for the peace of Jerusalem so that every mother can put her children to sleep without fear of being forced to rush them to a shelter from someone intent on taking their lives.”
The ambassador’s comments underscored the United States’ strong support for Israel and the commitment to protecting its citizens while pursuing a resolution to the ongoing hostilities in Gaza.